Cirrina

Cirrina
Oral view of Cirrothauma murrayi showing single row of suckers and paired cirri
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Cephalopoda
Order: Octopoda
Suborder: Cirrina
Grimpe, 1916 sensu Felley et al., 2001
Families

Opisthoteuthidae
Cirroteuthidae
Stauroteuthidae

Synonyms
  • Cirrata
    Grimpe, 1916
  • Cirroctopoda
    Young, 1989

Cirrina or Cirrata is a suborder and one of the two main divisions of octopuses. Cirrate octopuses have a small, internal shell and two fins on their head, while their sister suborder Incirrina has neither.

The suborder is named for small, cilia-like strands (cirri) on the arms of the octopus, a pair for each sucker. These are thought to play some role in feeding, perhaps by creating currents of water that help bring food closer to the beak. Cirrate octopuses are noteworthy for lacking ink sacs.

Classification

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