Squid male alternative reproductive tactics are determined by birth date.

Alternative reproductive tactics (ARTs) are discontinuous phenotypes associated with reproduction, observed in males of many species. Typically, large males adopt a tactic of competing with rivals for mating, while small males adopt a tactic of stealing fertilization opportunities from the large males. The 'birth date hypothesis', proposing that the date of birth influences the determination of each male's reproductive tactic, has been tested only in teleost fish to date. Here, the birth date hypothesis was tested in ARTs of Japanese spear squid Heterololigo bleekeri (consort/sneaker) by analysing statolith growth increments. The birth date significantly differed between consorts (early-hatched) and sneakers (late-hatched). However, no differences were detected in growth history up to 100 days from hatching. Most immature males caught during the reproductive season were larger than sneakers, and their hatch date was similar to that of consorts, suggesting that these immature males had already been following a life-history pathway as a consort. These results indicate that ARTs of H. bleekeri are determined based on their hatch date in early life. This study firstly suggests that the birth date hypothesis applies to aquatic invertebrates, suggesting that the mechanism by which birth date determines the individual phenotype is a phenomenon more common than previously believed.

Close-up observations on the spawning behavior of a captive Japanese flying squid (Todarodes pacificus).

The spawning behavior of a Japanese flying squid (Todarodes pacificus) is described based on up-close observation of a captive female. The squid was first transferred from a 10-ton tank to a polystyrene plastic box containing 45 liters of seawater. About one hour later, the mantle-contraction rate increased rapidly, followed by a brief convulsion of the mantle and arms and a whitening of the body. The mantle contractions become shallow and rapid, and several seconds later, semitransparent jelly presumably from the nidamental glands emerged from the funnel and passed between the ventral pair of arms. Approximately 90 seconds after the egg mass first emerged, the female began ejecting oocytes through the funnel into the egg mass using rapid, powerful mantle contractions. Soon after the oocytes were ejected, translucent strands (presumably sperm) emanated from the buccal membrane. The female continued to eject oocytes for approximately two minutes, after which the mantle convulsed, and the mantle-contraction rate decreased slowly for about one minute until the contractions stopped. The squid died soon afterwards.