Life cycle of Chokka squid Loligo reynaudii in South African waters

This short note summarizes past and present knowledge about life cycle of chokka squid (Loligo reynaudii D’Orb., 1848). In the past (until about 2010) chokka stock was considered simple and uniform, with one paralarval pool, drift of palararvae westwards, one main nursery area and one main long spawning migration of adult squid eastwards, back to the main spawning grounds. New findings revised this life cycle. Although genetically the stock is uniform, but morphologically it comprises three main geographic groups. It is proposed that their differences originate from many different palaralval “events”, and that short (not long) migrations dominate the life cycle.