Los squid They are one of the most consumed seafood delicacies in our country and one of the favorite products for the little ones.. fried, stewed or onions, how to cover the mouth… They are present in many dishes of our gastronomy but, despite its popularity, there is still a great lack of knowledge about its origin. ¿squid is seafood, or is considered a fish? This is one of the most frequent questions that arise in this regard.. That's why today we are going to clarify all the doubts.
If you are curious to know if squid is seafood or fish, keep reading!
Squid is considered seafood
Shellfish species are classified into three large groups: echinoderms, shellfish. in the first group, echinoderms, are the lesser-known shellfish since not all of them are eaten. Nevertheless, the most popular are sea urchin or sea cucumber. In the group of molluscs are all those shellfish that have a shell or shell, such as lobsters, shrimp or spider crabs. And finally, are found crustaceans, the group that interests us today.
Crustaceans are usually characterized by having an external skeleton, But it's not always like this. We can differentiate three different types of crustaceans:
- bivalves: that have two shells like clams, razors or mussels.
- univalvos: with a single shell like limpets and sea snails.
- cephalopods: a priori they may not look like a crustacean since they do not have a shell. Its structure is different from that of the previous types and they are characterized by having the head (cephalus) And feet (in pots) United.
As well, squid is not a fish but belongs to this group, just like the octopus, the cuttlefish, the squid or pota. Namely, it's a cephalopod crustacean so we can say that squid is considered seafood.
Description
Squid is a shellfish also known as squid or cuttlefish. It is one of the most intelligent invertebrates that exist, since it knows how to adapt to changes in the environment in which it finds itself.
It's a gregarious animal, form numerous schools and travel great distances in groups. Live near the coast, at depths between 15 y 600 meters and feeds on fish, crustaceans and other invertebrates.
The origin of its name is due to its internal shell. This is shaped like a pen and next to its ink, makes it look similar to an old inkwell, In latin “calamarius” (containing reeds to write).
As for the nutritional values, squid has a high protein content as well as being low in fat and calories. It is also a source of iodine and minerals such as potassium and iron.; thus helping to regulate the energy of our body.
Features
They measure between 10 y 45 centimeters and his big head, spherical and elongated is attached to two lateral fins in the shape of a rhombus. In the lower part it has eight tentacles with suckers and two more elongated contractile tentacles.. These last ones are the ones he uses to hunt, because at its end it has two hooks that it uses to take its prey to the tentacles with suction cups.
On its head it has a sharp and curved beak that it uses to eat and inside it has what we call a feather.. As for the skin, noted for its chromatophore cells, that allow it to change color adapting to its environment. But what most attracts the attention of the squid is its ink, What do you use to defend yourself when you feel threatened?.
Curiosities
Numerous investigations have concluded that squid ink is effective in the prevention and cure of some diseases. This is due to the amino acids and polysaccharides that this ink is made of.. It has also been shown to help fight bacterial spread.
Although its size is usually small, there are giant species such as the Giant Squid or the Colossal Squid, that can grow to more than 15 metros. This makes it the largest invertebrate in the world., in addition to having the largest brain and eyes of any living being.
has three hearts, one main and two gills.
