Luteuthis shuishi O'Shea and Lu 2002

Introduction

Luteuthis shuishi is known from a single female which, unfortunately was poorly preserved. This octopod has large, ventrolaterally oriented eyes and large fins but small cirri and is exceptionally gelatinous. The latter trait resulted in severe shrinkage upon preservation. The ML before preservation was 185 mm and after preservation was 88 mm. 

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Figure. Dorsal and ventral views of the fresh holotype of L. shuishi and the same views after it had been preserved. We have attempted to show the extent of this shrinkage by adjusting the size of the  photographs taken before and after fixation.Photographs from O'Shea and Lu, 2002.

Diagnosis

A Luteuthis ...

• with mantle and funnel attached to arms IV.
  

Characteristics

1. Arms and web
   1. Dorsal arms long and slender, 75% of TL; ventral arms short, 38% of TL.
   2. Web short, ca. 24% of arm length.


2. Suckers and cirri
   1. Suckers small, maximum diameter ca. 5% of ML.
   2. Sucker aperature with 16-18 well-developed hardened radiating tooth-like structures; structures sometimes scalloped.
   3. First 3-4 suckers moderate in size, thereafter sucker diameter gradually increases, with similarly sized suckers present at mid-point of all arms, thereafter suckers gradually decrease in diameter distally.
   4. Suckers most crowded on distal half of each arm where sucker bases touch one another.
   5. Up to 57 suckers on all arms.
   6. Cirri short, ca. 2% of ML or 40% of greatest sucker diameter.
   7. First distinct cirri between suckers 4 and 6 on all arms.


3. Mantle and funnel
   1. Mantle attached to ventral (aboral) surface of arms IV distal to base, at level equivalent to suckers 1 and 2.
   2. Funnel attached to ventral (aboral) surface of arms IV.


4. Shell
   1. W-shaped.
   2. Wings with strongly keeled margins; margins extend over saddle meeting mid-way dorsally as a pronounced downward-deflected prominence.
   3. Basal shelf plate-like.
   

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   Figure. Various views of the shell of L. shuishi, holotype. A - Ventral view. B - Dorsal view. C - Lateral view. D - Posterior view. Photographs from O'Shea and Lu, 2002.

Comments

This description is taken from Lu and O'Shea (2002) except that the photographs are in color rather than black and white. More details of the description of L. shuishi can be found here.

This species differs from L. dentatus in having shorter arms, the attachment of the mantle and funnel directly to the ventral surface of arms IV and more numerous tooth-like structures in the suckers (16-18 vs 10).

Life History

Distribution

L. shuishi is known only from the type locality at 19°30.1'N, 114°09.8'E, near the Dong-Sha Islands (Pratas Islands) in the northern South China Sea, 767 m depth.

References

O'Shea, S. and C. C. Lu. 2002. A New Species of Luteuthis (Mollusca: Cephalopoda: Cirroctopoda) from the South China Sea. Zoological Studies, 41: 119-126.