♪Let's talk about sex, baby!♫

If only Salt-N-Pepa knew...

In fact, not many of us do, for most of the reproductive cycle of octopoteuthids, and even the systems involved, remains a mystery. What scant information we do have is largely limited to Taningia danae, and thus the majority of this post will relate to them. Age at maturity is unknown, though two females with maturing eggs were aged at 21 and 33 months (González et al., 2003). While it appear T. danae is sexually dimorphic in terms of size, only one mature male specimen has ever been examined and information on females is almost as scarce. What is know is that instead of having a hectocotylus (a modified arm for spermatophore transfer) mature males have a large penis that can actually protrude greatly from the mantle cavity (González et al., 2003). This is also true of Octopoteuthis deletron, and likely other members of the genus. Males use this to hydraulically implant mature spermatophores into a females mantle and arm tissue. Presumably, following copulation she manipulates these into her mantle cavity with her arms.

While unconfirmed, it is believed that octopoteuthids spawn in deep water (400-600m) and in association with the bottom. Variable egg maturity was observed in two immature or maturing female T. danae specimens, and a broad size range at maturity has also been noted. These lines of evidence lend support to the theory that they are multiple spawners, not terminal. This life history style has traditionally been considered atypical of cephalopods, though is increasinly believed true for deep-water species. While the number of eggs laid at a time remains unknown, one maturing female's fecundity was estimated at 5 X 10⁶ oocytes (González et al., 2003). Mature eggs of O. deletron are usually around 2 mm in diameter. The paralarvae (young squid following hatching) of Octopoteuthis have not been formally described.

Descriptions of T. danae paralarvae are available, and they are characterized by enlarged suckers on the thick tentacles (remember they will lose these appendages) and enlarged armtips on a pair of arms due to the growing photophores. Paralarvae are presumably pelagic and predatory on small crustaceans and other zooplankton.

Juvenile T. danae in an aquarium (Tolweb.org).