Description
Idioteuthis cordiformis is a large, deep water species growing up to one hundred centimetres long. Only a few specimens have been carefully observed and different authorities have described its colour as being pale flesh-pink, yellowish with small reddish-brown chromatophores or having thickly crowded deep brownish chromatophores. It is probably transparent in life with the tissues becoming opaque after death. Like all squids it has five pairs of appendages. Arms 1, 2, 3 and 5 bear suckers with arm 3 being considerably larger than arm 1. Arm 4 is an elongated tentacle which is retractable. It is much longer than the arms and the distal end has a club with many small suckers which decrease in size towards the tip. The club is no wider than the rest of the tentacle.
The cuticle is tough and covered with small, conical tubercules on round plaques. The dark red pigment is found in densely packed chromatophores but there are no photophores. The head is separated from the mantle by a collar and below the head is the opening of the funnel which is ear-shaped. The eyes are large and highly developed, with relatively large lobes of the brain dedicated to their control. The posterior end of the mantle has a semicircular fin on either side which extends three quarters of the way along the mantle.
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