SQUID GAME: Species of Squids in Panay Philippines

SQUID GAME. Will you accept the challenge and play children's games with us? Today we play “Red Light, Green Light” as we introduce some of the species of squids identified as one of the commercially important mollusks of Panay.

Spotted under red light is Indian squid (Uroteuthis duvaucelii). This species is distributed in the Indo-West Pacific region, from Mozambique, to South China Sea, Philippine Sea and northwards to Taiwan. 

It is found up to the depth of 170 meters. They feed on fishes, crustaceans, and squids. In Panay this species is caught using trawl, motorized bagnets, and traps.

Green light spotlights the swordtip squid (Uroteuthis edulis). They are common in the Indo-Pacific region and are found at the depth of 30-170 meters. Juvenile swordtip squid feed on crustaceans while the adults feed on fishes.

Another squid under the red light is the bigfin reef squid (Sepioteuthis lessoniana). This species is caught using spear, traps, and trawl. They inhabit warm coastal waters, from 0-100m deep. They are carnivorous and feed on mollusks, fishes and prawns.

Green light is on and let’s move-on to purpleback flying squid (Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis). Jiggers are used in catching them. They occur from sea level up to the depth of 1000 meters. They are widely distributed in the western Pacific and Indian Ocean.

Squid are cephalopods; they belong to Class Cephalopoda together with octopus, cuttlefish, chambered nautilus, and their relatives. Cephalopods in general are deemed the most intelligent, mobile and largest of all mollusks.

Squid are among the commercially important mollusks in Panay. According to the Fisheries Statistics of the Philippines, squid production in Western Visayas totaled to 5838 metric tons in 2019. 

In the recent study conducted on the mollusks of Panay, the Indian squid ranks 2nd among the commercially important mollusks in the island; this is due to its high local and export commercial value. Read the study here: https://bit.ly/3i8x7Rh

The Philippines has a biologically diverse marine water; but marine organism populations are threatened. Destructive fishing gear, over-catching, and polluted ocean negatively affect them.

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Credits:

Text and Poster by Merlyn F. Geromiano | NMWV

© National Museum of the Philippines (2021)