13 species, from Yamaguchi to Japan to the world. Learn a name, a habitat and a little wonder.
13 species shown
YAMAGUCHISquid you can meet in Yamaguchi7
01Coastal
Bigfin reef squid
Sepioteuthis lessoniana
The star of egi fishing.
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Broad fins run the full length of the mantle. In spring, large adults move into the shallows to spawn; in autumn, the young of the year arrive. Japanese reef squid include several distinct forms, so precise identification from a photo is not reliable.
Season
Spring (large, spawning) / autumn (young of the year)
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02Coastal
Swordtip squid
Uroteuthis edulis
The squid behind Susa Mikoto Ika.
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A slender squid with a sharply pointed tail. Live swordtip squid landed at Susa in Hagi are sold under the regional brand Susa Mikoto Ika. On summer nights, metal-jig fishing from lit boats is hugely popular.
A slim squid shaped like a spearhead, with relatively short feeding tentacles. On winter nights schools may gather under lamps along the breakwater — a regular in our fishing vlogs.
Season
Winter to spring, at night
How
Night fishing with lamps from breakwaters, or by boat
A large member of the cuttlefish family. The giveaway is the coffee-bean-shaped marks scattered across its brown back. In Japanese markets the name mongō-ika is also used for other, imported cuttlefish species.
A gland at the rear of the mantle releases a reddish-brown fluid, making the tail look scorched — hence its Japanese name, “burnt-bottom squid.” Unlike its relatives, its cuttlebone has no spine at the tip.
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07Coastal
Japanese squid (hi-ika)
Loliolus japonica
A palm-sized winter companion.
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A small squid with a mantle of about 10 cm. On cold nights it gathers around harbor lights, where tiny egi lures do the trick. Often caught in good numbers — a friendly first squid.
A large squid with a diamond-shaped fin running the length of its body. It roams warm open seas, and is known in Japan as taru-ika along the Sea of Japan and sē-ika in Okinawa.
An enormous squid with long feeding tentacles. It is occasionally found in set nets or washed ashore along Japan’s Sea of Japan coast. Much about its deep-sea life remains unknown; specimens and observations help researchers learn more.
A coastal squid of North America’s west coast. Large spawning schools enter Monterey Bay in spring and fall, linking it to both the marine food web and local fisheries.
