Egg masses of the squid Gonatus fabricii (Cephalopoda, Gonatidae) caught with pelagic trawl off Northern Norway

Abstract A description of egg masses from Gonatus fabricii (LICHTENSTEIN) caught with pelagic trawl in the Norwegian Sea is given. The eggs were kept together in a single layer between two mucous membranes, and the pieces collected appeared to be fragments of more extensive structures tom apart by wear from the sampling gear. No embryos were observed in the eggs, and none ofthe eggs showed any staining for five enzyme systems analyzed by isoelectric focusing. Either the eggs were caught shortly after spawning and fertilization, or the lack of embryonic tissue reflects the fact that most of the eggs were caught in water colder than 0 °C. The developmental rate at this temperature is expected to be very slow.