Abraliopsis sp. NC4

Introduction

Abraliopsis sp. NC4 is known only from the vicinity of New Caledonia. The largest female examined was 32 mm ML and the largest male was 21 mm ML (the smallest male examined was 16.5 mm ML and fully mature).

Brief diagnosis:

An Abraliopsis (abraliopsis) ...

• with very small dorsal flap on hectocotylus.
• with few (0-1, at 26 mm ML) red photophores in Lateral Head Sector. 
• 16-20 (x̅ = 17.7) hooks on arm IV.
  

Characteristics

1. Arms
   1. Arms IV moderately long. Arm IV length index - 81-100 (x̅ = 90.3, n = 12). Number of arm IV hooks - 16-20 (x̅ = 17.7,n= 12)
   2. Hectocotylus with long, low ventral flap; short, very low, distally-offset dorsal flap. The squid must be in very good condition in order to detect the dorsal flap; in most males examined (maximum size 21 mm ML) the dorsal flap could not be detected.
      
      

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      Figure. Oral view of the distal portion of the hectocotylus of Abraliopsis sp. NC4, male, 19 mm ML. Arrows mark the endpoints of the dorsal and ventral flaps.
      

2. Tentacle
   1. Club with large keel and carpal flap.
   2. Largest club hooks from ventral series about 3.5 times height of counterparts of dorsal series.
      
      

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      Figure. Two views of the same tentacular club of Abraliopsis sp. NC4, male, 19 mm ML. Top - Dorso-oral view. Bottom - Oral view. Photographs by R. Young.

3. Head
   1. Head-width index not determined due to distortion from initial freezing.
      
      
4. Fins
   1. Fin length index - 72; Fin width index - 92-114 (x̅ = 100.3, n = 6).
      
      
5. Photophores
   1. Ocular photophores: 5; end members <2X larger than adjacent members.
      
   2. Integumental photophores: Head and mantle with scattered photophores.
      

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      Figure. Abraliopsis sp. NC4 showing photophore arrangement. Left - Photograph of the ventral view of the preserved squid. Right- Same view, same squid, drawing from photograph with colored dots representing photophores. Red dots - Complex photophores. Blue dots - non-complex photophores. Images by R. Young.

      More information on the integumental photophores can be found here.
      

6. Viscera
   1. Female: Spermatangia receptacles - Dorsal-collar pocket present on either side of nuchal cartilage. No posterior pocket between stellate ganglia.
      
      

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      Figure. Abraliopsis NC4, mature female, 26 mmm ML showing spermatangia receptacles. Top - Dorsal view. Bottom - Dorsolateral view with mantle folded posteriorly. White arrows point to pigmented receptacles within collar.
      

7. Measurements and counts:

   	NEC-1008,  M011-40	NEC-1008,  M011-40	NEC-1008,  M011-40	NEC-1008,  M011-40	NEC-1008,  M011-40	NEC-1008, M011-42
   Sex	Male	Male (mature)	Male (mature)	Male	Male (mature)	Male
   Mantle length	19	21	21	19	21	19
   Head width index	42.1	38.1	-	-	-	46.3
   Fin Length index	68.4	76.2	73.8	73.7	71.9	68.4
   Fin width index	100	104.8	91.9	113.7	96.7	93.7
   Arm Length index (R/L): I	73.7/-	71.4/66.7	61.9/57.1	63.7/63.7	65.2/60.5	57.9/63.7
   II	78.9/78.9	71.4/-	69/75.7	74.7/66.8	63.3/66.6	70/72.1
   III	73.7/78.9	81.0/76.2	69.5/76.2	73.7/70	69.5/75.7	73.7/-
   IV	94.7/94.7	100/95.2	87.7/87.6	86.8/92.1	81.4/81.4	89.5/91.1
   No. arm hooks (R/L): I	-/20	16/17	18/18	18/18	18/16	18/18
   II	21/23	22/-	20/17	-/22	19/17	21/20
   III	19/19	16/18	18/18	20/20	19/20	18/-
   IV	16/18	20/20	18/20	21/21	19/18	18/17
   Club length index (R/L)	-	23.8/-	27.6/-	27.9/27.9	27.1/27.6	26.8/27.4
   Club hooks (D/V)(R:L)	-	5/3; -	5/4/-	5/4; 5/3	4/5??; 4/4	4/4; 4/5??
   Carpal suckers (R/L)	-	3/-	4/-	3/-	4/-	3/4

Comments

Comparisons of Abraliopsis sp. NC4 to other members of the subgenus can be found on the Abraliopsis (Abraliopsis) page.

Distribution

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Figure. Distribution of Abraliopsis sp. NC4. White dots represent the capture localities. Base map from Google Earth.app.