(Steenstrup, 1882)
Description:
A small nektonic squid with a thin, narrow, weakly muscular, cylindrical mantle. Head is small and narrow. Fin is transversely rhomboidal or widely heart-shaped, not attenuated or just slightly attenuated posteriorly. Larvae have a long neck. Arms with two rows of suckers. There are many rows of small suckers in the proximal part of the tentacular club, the distal part with 4-6 rows of initially large and then gradually smaller suckers. Mantle length up to 10-17 cm. Fin length 35-50 % of the mantle length. Mantle is nearly colourless, with scarce small chromatophores.
Habitat:
Young animals are epi-mesopelagic, adults found also in the bathypelagic zone.
Distribution:
Probably a cosmopolitan species, except for boreal Pacific (Distr. B. riisei).