On the occurrence of egg masses of the diamondshaped squid Thysanoteuthis rhombus Troschel, 1857 in the subtropical eastern Atlantic (Canary Islands). A potential commercial species?

8 páginas, 2 figuras, 1 tablaData on opportunistic sightings of diamond-shaped squid Thysanoteuthis rhombus egg masses in the Canary Islands (Atlantic Ocean) are presented. A total of 16 egg masses of this species were recorded and photographed from 2000 to 2010 around the western islands of the archipelago (El Hierro, Tenerife and La Gomera). These data reveal the existence of an important spawning area for diamond-shaped squid around the Canary Islands, in subtropical east Atlantic waters. We provide preliminary data for the potential development of an artisanal fishery focused on this species, and a discussion on its potential impacts on the marine ecosystem.This work has been supported by the project “Cetáceos, Oceanografía y Biodiversidad de las Aguas Profundas de La Palma y El Hierro” funded by the Ministry of Sciences and Innovation of the Spanish Government, grant number CETOBAPH-CGL2009-1311218.Peer reviewe