(Lamarck, 1798)
Description:
Body is slender, up to 210 mm long, with maximum mantle length of 140 mm; produced posteriorly to a finely tapered point; in males the portion posterior to the fins constitutes one-third to one-half total mantle length, in females less than one-quarter. Fins are narrow, rounded, together with a heart shape outline in dorsal view. Width of the fin in adults is above 25 % of mantle length. Dorsal anterior edge of mantle produced as a quadrate projection extending between eyes. Arms up to twice length of head, with flattened, angular section, dorsal pair half length of ventral pair; all with two longitudinal series of suckers. Length of the longest arm in adults is 20-25 % of mantle length. Tentacle club are narrow with median suckers of middle region up to four times diameter of adjacent marginal suckers; suckers are attached obliquely to club axis at angle of about 45°. Difficult to distinguish from Alloteuthis media.
Habitat:
In coastal waters and offshore.
Distribution:
From the Shetland Island and southern Norway to Cape Blanc and the Mediterranean Sea. Widespread and abundant in the North Sea (Distr. A. subulata).