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Animal profile

Pygmy Squid

Idiosepius paradoxus

CephalopodaShallow seagrass beds and algae in temperate and tropical Indo-Pacific coastal waters

Field profile

Pygmy squid are among the smallest cephalopods, with adult mantle lengths often under two centimetres. They live in seagrass, attach to blades with a glue organ on the back, and hunt shrimp several times their own body length.

Scope note

This is an editorial profile, not a diagnostic field-identification guide or a substitute for current conservation assessments. Follow the cited sources on each fact for the evidence trail.

Published field notes

2026-08-13

Pygmy Squid

A squid that glues itself to a seagrass blade

Pygmy squid have an adhesive organ on the back of the mantle that produces a two-part glue. They stick to seagrass blades, wait motionless, and release on demand without leaving residue.

Read with evidence →

Pygmy Squid | Daily Animal Facts