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Opisthoteuthis grimaldii Joubin 1903

Roger Villanueva, Michael Vecchione, and Richard E. Young
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Containing group: Opisthoteuthis

Introduction

This species reaches a maximum size of 50 mm ML. Its early description (1903) and the poor knowledge of cirrates in the first half of the 20th century resulted in reports of this species from many localities in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Most of these records were questioned by Villanueva et al. (2002) and they confirm identifications only from the Eastern Atlantic.

Characteristics

  1. Arms and suckers
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      Figure. Oral view of O. grimaldii, mature male, 45 mm ML. Drawing from Villanueva et al., 2002.

    1. Arms subequal, about 366 - 380% of ML.
    2. Arm sucker count 73-80.
    3. Males with two fields of enlarged suckers present on all arms; largest sucker diameter of distal field less than that of proximal field.
    4. Proximal field with suckers 4-11 typically enlarged; suckers 6 or 7 usually largest; all arms with equal enlargement.
    5. Distal field with usually 9-10 suckers enlarged, typically lie between sucker numbers 21-40; suckers 29-31 usually largest; all arms with equal enlargement.
    6. Single web nodule present on ventral margin of each arm; nodule arises at level of sucker 25-30, just prior to the largest enlarged distal sucker.
    7. Cirri short; longest 2.5-4.7 mm or 5-10% of ML.
    8. First cirri appear between suckers 2 and 5.
    Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window
    Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window

    Figure. Oral view of arm I of a mature male of O. grimaldii. Same specimen as above. Drawing from Villanueva et al., 2002. 

Comments

The above description is taken from Villanueva et al.,2002. More details of the description of O. grimaldii can be found here.

O. grimaldii shares (where males are known) enlarged suckers in both proximal and distal fields that are the same on all arms with O. agassizii, O. bruuni, O. chathamensis and O. hardyi. It differs from from O. agassizii in having a bilobular digestive gland and single web supports, it differs from O. bruuni in the number of suckers in the distal field (9-10 vs 2-3), it differs from O. chathamensis in the number of suckers on each arm (73-80 vs 41-45), and it differs from O. hardyi in having a bilobular digestive gland and web supports.

Distribution

Type locality: Azores Islands, 55 miles NW of Fayal, 1900 m. Positive records are known only from the Eastern Atlantic from off Nambia (24° 5'S) to the Rockall Trough (ca. 55° N) at depths of 1135-2287 m (Villanueva et al. (2002).

References

Villanueva, R., Collins, M., Sanchez, P. and N. Voss. 2002. Systematics, distribution and biology of the cirrate octopods of the genus Opisthoteuthis (Mollusca, Cephalopoda) in the Atlantic Ocean, with description of two new species. Bulletin of Marine Science 71(2):933-985.

Title Illustrations
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Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window
Scientific Name Opisthoteuthis grimaldii
Reference Joubin, L. 1920. Cephalopodes provenant des Campagnes de la Princesse Alice (1898-1910). 3e Serie. Monaco.
Specimen Condition Dead Specimen
View Ventral
Type Holotype
Scientific Name Opisthoteuthis grimaldii
Reference Joubin, L. 1920. Cephalopodes provenant des Campagnes de la Princesse Alice (1898-1910). 3e Serie. Monaco.
Specimen Condition Dead Specimen
View Dorsal
Type Holotype
Scientific Name Opisthoteuthis grimaldii
Reference Villanueva, R., Collins, M., Sanchez, P. and N. Voss. 2002. Systematics, distribution and biology of the cirrate octopods of the genus Opisthoteuthis (Mollusca, Cephalopoda) in the Atlantic Ocean, with description of two new species. Bulletin of Marine Science 71(2):933-985.
Sex Male
Life Cycle Stage Mature
View Ventral and dorsal
Size 45 mm ML
Copyright © 2002 Bulletin of Marine Science
About This Page
Drawings of Villanueva et al. (2002) printed with the Permission of the Bulletin of Marine Science.


Instituto de Ciencias del Mar (CSIC), Barcelona, Spain


National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D. C. , USA


University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA

All Rights Reserved.

Citing this page:

Villanueva, Roger, Michael Vecchione, and Richard E. Young. 2003. Opisthoteuthis grimaldii Joubin 1903. Version 13 May 2003 (under construction). http://tolweb.org/Opisthoteuthis_grimaldii/20159/2003.05.13 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/

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