| Sharptail shortfin squid Illex oxygonius | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Dorsal aspect | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Cephalopoda |
| Order: | Oegopsida |
| Family: | Ommastrephidae |
| Genus: | Illex |
| Species: | I. oxygonius |
| Binomial name | |
| Illex oxygonius | |
Illex oxygonius, commonly known as thesharptail shortfin squid, is aspecies ofneriticsquids in thefamilyOmmastrephidae. Of the species of thegenusIllex, they have the most restricted range, being found only in the westernNorth Atlantic Ocean; from offNew Jersey, south to theStraits of Florida and into theGulf of Mexico. They are very difficult to distinguish fromIllex coindetii andIllex illecebrosus, with which their geographic range overlaps. The most obvious difference ofI. oxygnius is their sharper fin angles of 25° to 40° (hence their common name). There is also the possibility that they may be a hybrid ofI. coindetii andI. illecebrosus.[3][4]
