Fauna
Invertebrate

European Squid

Loligo vulgaris

Also known as Common Squid

European squid are agile coastal predators that hunt schooling fish and crustaceans using rapid bursts of jet propulsion and lightning-fast tentacle strikes. They communicate and camouflage through thousands of dermal chromatophores, shifting color patterns in fractions of a second during courtship displays and territorial standoffs. Females deposit sausage-shaped gelatinous egg capsules containing hundreds of embryos onto sandy or rocky substrates in shallow coastal waters before perishing.

MarineCarnivorousPelagic
European Squid reference
Hans Hillewaert / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Data DeficientConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXData Deficient — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyEuropean Anchovy, European Pilchard, Brown Shrimp
Predators
  • Bottlenose Dolphin
  • European Seabass
  • Grey Seal
ThreatsCommercial overfishing, bottom trawling, marine pollution, changing water temperatures
HabitatsCoastal waters, continental shelves, sandy bottoms, open sea
Life span1–2 years
Classification
  1. FamilyLoliginidae
  2. SpeciesLoligo vulgaris
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Harmless to swimmers and divers; observe quietly without cornering or handling.
Responsible observation
  • Night Diving: Bring an underwater torch to watch them hunt, as lights frequently attract their prey.
  • Gentle Distance: Avoid chasing schools, which triggers rapid escape jets and defensive ink clouds.
Related species
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?

Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.

Checking your Fauna account…