FAMILY MASTIGOTEUTHIDAE VERRILL, 1881

(16 SPECIES IN SIX GENERA)

Diagnosis: Medium to large adult-sized Chiroteuthoidea with enlarged ventral arms having expanded lateral membranes modified into sheaths for the tentacles; arm suckers in two series; with cylindrical long tentacles on which clubs are covered by multiple irregular series of tiny suckers, sometimes with larger suckers in the proximal end; with oval or ear-shaped funnel–mantle locking apparatus with tragus and antitragus; fins large to very large; short tail present (relatively long in paralarvae).