Oceanic squids in the order Oegopsida are ecologically and economically important species in the open ocean. They are the most diverse group of cephalopods (24 families, morphologically different). They play important roles in the mesopelagic ecosystem as predators to small mesopelagic organisms, and as prey to sharks and whales.

The greater hooked squid (Onykia ingens) is an example of a squid belonging to the order Oegopsida. In the mesopelagic zone, lanternfish are a common prey to this squid. (Public Domain, Pfeffer, G. 1912)

However, little is known of their genetical relationships to one another. In an effort to solve this, researchers from Ireland performed analyses through genome skimming, a method under-used in the study of cephalopods. Through this they uncovered another family of squid, elevating the known oegopsid squid families to 25! The study supports the utility of genome skimming to solve phylogenetic relationships of oceanic squids.

Read the full scientific paper here: A phylogenomic look into the systematics of oceanic squids (order Oegopsida)