Calamari is the culinary word for squid and the pieces come from several main parts of the fish. The first part is the tentacles, which are cut off where they meet the body.

The two arms on the squid are also edible, but the most recognizable part is the mantle. The loose outer covering is cleaned and cut across to create rings or cut into strips.

If the piece of calamari has suction cups, it’s a tentacle and usually has all of them attached. If it’s a thick, noodle-looking thing, it's the arm, and the rings are the mantle.