Myopsida

Myopsida is one of the four orders of squid. It has two families: the monotypic Australiteuthis and the Loliginidae, which has about 50 species. Some scientists call this group a suborder named Myopsina, putting it inside the order Teuthida.

Members of Myopsida look different from other squid. Their eyes do not have a second eyelid and are covered by a thin, clear layer. Their arms and tentacles have simple suckers but no hooks. They also have a special pocket on their heads and lack some muscles near their funnel. Female squid have extra glands that help make eggs, but they do not have a right oviduct.

These squid live in coastal waters worldwide, usually near the ocean floor where they look for food. Many sea animals, including birds, eat them. Their sizes differ a lot, from very small species that grow to less than 2 centimeters to larger ones like Loligo forbesii, which can be almost a meter long.

Scientists recently found very old fossils of these squid. Before 2025, the oldest fossils were from the early Eocene in North America. In 2025, scientists discovered fossils from the Late Cretaceous in Japan, and another fossil from the Oligocene in Russia, showing these squid have existed for a very long time.