Arrow Squid

***Doryteuthis plei***, also known as the **slender inshore squid** or **arrow squid**, is a medium-sized squid belonging to the family Loliginidae. It occurs abundantly in coastal waters of the Atlantic Ocean, from Argentina northward to North Carolina.

## Description & Characteristics

Squid, also called calamari, is a cephalopod mollusk with eight arms, two tentacles and a tubular shaped body that narrows to a point and has two fleshy wings along the rear part of the body. Squid swim tail-first by pumping water through valves located near their head. The shells have evolved into a small bone or pen inside the body. Like octopus and cuttlefish, they are cephalopods. There are many species in all seas, ranging in length from one inch to the Chilean giant squid of six feet and one hundred pounds. Even larger monsters are thought to live in very deep water. Squid grow fast and live only 12 to 14 months.

Squid has excellent shelf life if handled with reasonable care. It is little affected by freezing, and the texture is unchanged even if the flesh is frozen and thawed a number of times. Fresh squid should have a sweet smell. It becomes rather pungent with age. Skin spots and color are not reliable guides to quality.

The tentacles, wings and mantle (body) are all edible. There is a thin, soft skin covering the body and wings, which is usually removed before cooking. The skin changes color dramatically after the squid is caught. This is a natural process and is not a symptom of decomposition. Squid may be “bleached” by soaking it in iced water. This reduces the color changes and whitens the skin.

Squid is processed into tubes, rings and strips. Steaks, circular pieces cut from the mantles of large squid and usually tenderized with a needle machine, are also produced as a retail trade alternative to expensive abalone steaks. Fried calamari has become a mainstay on many restaurant menus, which has contributed to an explosion in domestic usage. A great deal of squid is frozen whole for bait, used by both sport fishermen and commercial line fishermen.

Sea Port’s Premium Whole Arrow Squid is made to meet the needs of all restaurants whether white tablecloth establishments, sports bars or take-out operations.  When you select our premium Nototodarus sloanii variety you will find a flavorful, tender offering ready for your recipes to please the most discerning palate of your guests.

## Ecology

Due to their abundance, slender inshore squid are important to both commercial and subsistence fisheries. During the annual summer mating season, the squid congregate in large numbers near shore. During the austral summer in waters off Brazil, annual catches may reach 763 metric tonnes.

While there may be safety in their numbers, the squid are an important prey item for large fish such as tuna and sharks and a number of cetaceans: pygmy killer whales, orcas, spotted dolphins, Rough-Toothed Dolphins, and bottlenose dolphins are all known predators of arrow squid. Other predators include South African and Antarctic fur seals.

The squid prey upon several species of estuarine fish, including: killifish, mosquitofish and mollies. Small crustaceans such as grass shrimp are also taken.