Illicinae Ommastrephinae Todarodinae ...and see text Ommastrephidae is a family of squid containing three subfamilies, 11 genera, and over 20 species.

[7][6] They have an easily recognizable, slender, feather-shaped gladius with a hollow cone structure (the primary conus).

Light organs (photophores) are present along the head and mantle of members of the subfamily Ommastrephinae.

Their arms and tentacles bear sharp teeth and are used to grasp and bring prey to their beaked mouths.

It gradually splits into two as the paralarvae grow becoming completely separated once they reach mantle lengths of 5 to 10 mm (0.20 to 0.39 in).