Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | CoL | ITIS | WoRMS

Cephalopoda | Sepiida | Sepiidae

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Demersal; brackish; depth range 15 - 570 m (Ref. 1695), usually 50 - 250 m (Ref. 1695). Subtropical; 55°N - 17°S, 22°W - 36°E (Ref. 107081)

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean: from Irish Sea to southern Angola.

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m 7.0, range 4 - ? cm Max length : 9.6 cm ML male/unsexed; (Ref. 1695); 12 cm ML (female)

Short description Morphology

Mantle length at first sexual maturity in West Africa: 4.0-5.0 cm (male); 7.0 cm. Mantle length at first sexual maturity in western Mediterranean: 5.0 cm (males); 7.8 cm (females; Ref. 275).

Inshore (Ref. 122891). A demersal (Ref. 1695), nektonic (Ref. 417), nektobenthic (Ref. 122890) species. Found over sandy and sandy-muddy bottoms (Ref. 1695) and detritus-rich continental shelf and slope (Ref. 417). In the Sea of Marmara, the species can occur in brackish waters. In Mediterranean waters, spawning period is likely continuous as males and females are usually found together throughout the year, with peaks in activity in spring and autumn. In Portuguese waters, predominance of mature individuals in spring is also reported. No record of onshore spawning migration. With the extended reproductive period, recruitment is also continuous but variable, with seasonal density peaks. Males mature at 6 or 7 months and females at 9 or 10 months. Eggs (7 to 8.5 mm maximum diameter and proportional to female size) are laid in clusters of 30 to 40 and are attached to sponges on muddy bottoms. Diet may consist of fish and cephalopods but mainly of crustaceans. One of the most abundant cephalopod species in some areas of the Mediterranean. Taken mainly as bycatch in trawl fisheries; marketed fresh and frozen along with S. elegans and small S. officinalis and constitutes a valuable resource locally. Intense fishing pressure on this resource is reported in the Sicilian Channel. Sympatric (and confused) with S. elegans Blainville, 1827 (Ref. 1695).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Members of the class Cephalopoda are gonochoric. Male and female adults usually die shortly after spawning and brooding, respectively. Mating behavior: Males perform various displays to attract potential females for copulation. During copulation, male grasp the female and inserts the hectocotylus into the female's mantle cavity where fertilization usually occurs. Life cycle: Embryos hatch into planktonic stage and live for some time before they grow larger and take up a benthic existence as adults.

Main reference References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Jereb, P. and C.F.E. Roper (eds.). 2005. (Ref. 1695)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

Data deficient (DD) ; Date assessed: 15 March 2009

CITES status (Ref. 108899)

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Human uses

Fisheries: commercial
| FishSource |

Tools

E-book | Field guide

More information

Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions
Stocks
Ecology
Diet
Food items

Common names
Synonyms
Predators
Reproduction
Maturity
Spawning
Fecundity
Eggs
Egg development

Age/Size
Growth
Length-weight
Length-length
Morphology
Larvae
Abundance

References
Mass conversion

Collaborators
Pictures

Internet sources

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 115969): 11.2 - 18.2, mean 14.4 (based on 347 cells).

Vulnerability (Ref. 71543): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).

Price category (Ref. 80766): High.

Sepia orbignyana Férussac, 1826