Reproductive ecology of squids around Japan

This project is aimed to collect basic information of reproductive and life cycles of squid species around Japan. There is a huge gap between ecology and physiology in many marine species, especially in cephalopods, perhaps due to difficulties in in situ observations of wild life. We develop microsatellite markers to study population genetics and mating systems. Targeted species are T. major, O. bartramii and B. magister These species are becoming more important in fisheries in response to recent rapid decline in squid resources worldwide.