Squid    Loligo spp.

The Squid is a distant relative of the bivalve mollusks and a close relative to the Octopus but a squid has 10 tentacles and an octupus has 8. They are from a group called cephalopods, meaning "head foot". The  quid has a shell like its distant relative the mollusk but its shell is located internally and is called a pen or quill.

The squid has a slightly sweet flavor and flesh that is firm yet tender if not overcooked. The loligo are generally considered the best eating as opposed to the Illex illecebrosus or bait squid harvested in the summer. 

California loligo are harvested from Thanksgiving to March with a second season may through August when they move ashore to spawn.  East Coast loligo are harvested year round from North Carolina to Massachusetts.

The small California loligo range in size from 4 to 10 per pound and reach a tube length of 3 to 4 inches where as the East Coast variety average 5 inches

Besides checking for an ocean fresh sweet smell, fresh squid can be checked for freshness by how easily the quill can be removed and how tightly the thin skin adheres to the body.  The easier the removal process the older the squid.  Also check for traces of purple in the white flesh which indicates spoilage.