Banded Piglet Squid

Banded Piglet Squid Facts

• Bearing the rather imposing scientific name of Helicocranchia pfefferi, the remarkable Banded Piglet Squid still remains something of a mystery to modern science.
• The humorous sounding common name understandably derives from the comparatively rotund shape of the body, seeming reminiscent of a small pig.
• One of the most fascinating of the scant facts known about the adorable creature also remains the fact that it appears to primarily swim upside down.
• One unique fact researchers have discovered is that this rather incredible small cephalopod, for reasons completely unknown, actually changes color to purple when giving birth.
• For understandable reasons, the IUCN lists this fascinating animal as Data Deficient.

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Banded Piglet Squid Physical Description

Although certainly visually appealing, the rather diminutive Banded Piglet Squid nevertheless remains a very small variety of cephalopod.

The average adult achieves a mantle length of roughly 3.9 in (9.9 cm). Within the rather limited knowledge of the species achieved by researchers, sexual dimorphism appears to be absent.

Throughout the majority of its life, this animal displays an almost transparent appearance. Later in life, however, adults often become reddish brown.

Its body displays numerous paddle-like fins. I addition, several short tentacles grow from the area immediately above their jet-black eyes.

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Mollusca

Class: Cephalopoda

Order: Oegopsida

Family: Cranchiidae

Genus: Helicocranchia

Species: H. pfefferi

Banded Piglet Squid Distribution, Habitat, and Ecology

Given the great lack of available data, the distribution of the Banded Piglet Squid remains in question. Some evidence also indicates that it may have a nearly global distribution, in tropical and subtropical waters.

However, the majority of sightings occur in the North Atlantic, near the country of Ireland, in Europe. Where it has been confirmed to exist it appears to be a mesopelagic species.

Younger individuals also primarily inhabit shallow regions of the oceans, remaining at depths of no more than 656 ft (200 m). However, as individuals mature, they migrate to much greater depths, sometimes as deep as 6,560 ft (2,000 m).

The exact population of the species remains unclear, but its population also appears to be quite fragmented. 

Researches currently have no data on the diet or feeding habits of this unique creature. However, it remains assumed that it feeds on small fish and invertebrates.

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