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Molluscs of Tasmania

Cranchiidae – Taoniinae: Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni Robson, 1925 (‘colossal squid’)

Synonym(s): hamiltoni Robson, 1925.

Typical mantle-length 2000 mm. Lives in offshore waters in midwater. Native. Occurs in southeastern Australia (TAS only); also the Southern Ocean. In Tasmanian waters, this species has been recorded as beak(s) recovered from the guts of beached whale(s).

Classification

Class: Cephalopoda
Subclass: Coleoidea
Order: Oegopsida
Superfamily: Oegopsida – unplaced
Family: Cranchiidae
Subfamily: Mesonychoteuthis
Genus: Mesopeplum

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