Note

Grimpoteuthis innominata: Description Continued

Steve O'Shea, Richard E. Young, and Michael Vecchione
  1. Arms
    1. No suckers abruptly enlarged.
    2. Arm sucker count 50-60 per arm.
    3. Suckers sexually dimorphic: larger in males (maximum arm sucker diam. 8.3% of ML in the male, 4.6% in the female).
    4. First 25-35 suckers similar in size, suckers in males slightly enlarged proximal to web margin, distal ca. 25 suckers relatively small.
    5. Suckers with simple sucker aperature.
    6. 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. Sucker of G. innominata, longitudinal section. Drawing from O'Shea, 1999.

    7. Single web nodule present at level of 22-24th suckers ventrally on each arm.
    8. Cirri begin between suckers 4 and 6.
    9. Cirrus length comparable to largest sucker diameter.

  2. Fins
    1. Length approximately 1.7 times mantle width.

  3. Gills
    1. Semi-sepioid appearance.
    2. 7 primary lamellae (total).

  4. Digestive tract
    1. Intestine approximately equal to esophagus (and crop) in length.
    2. Digestive gland unilobed.
    3. Anterior and posterior salivary glands absent.
    4. Radula absent.
    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. Lateral view of digestive tract of G. innominata. Drawing of female paratype from O'Shea, 1999.

  5. Optic lobe and nerve tract
    1. Single optic nerve bundle penetrates white body.
    2. Optic lobe circular in cross-section.
    3. 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. Lateral view of optic lobe, optic nerve bundles and white body of G. innominata. Drawing of female paratype from O'Shea, 1999.

  6. Female reproductive tract
    1. Oviducal gland with 2 similar-sized striate structures.
    2. Proximal oviduct about 1.5 times longer than distal oviduct.
    3. Genital aperature with 6 finger-like projections.
    4. 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. Female reproductive tract of G. innominata. Drawing from O'Shea, 1999.

  7. Male reproductive tract
    1. Accessory gland 3 dominates accessory gland complex.
    2. Penis well developed.
    3. 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. Male reproductuive tract of G. innominata. Drawing from O'Shea, 1999.

  8. Beaks
    1. Beaks as illustrated.
    2. 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. Side views of beaks of G. innominata: upper beak (left), lower beak (right). Drawings from O'Shea, 1999.

  9. Pigmentation
    1. No areolar spots.
    2. Mantle and head tissues gelatinous but not translucent.
    3. Dorsal surfaces of mantle, fins, head and arms 1 and 2 pinkish-red.
    4. Ventral surfaces of mantle, fins, head and arms 3 and 4, and distal margin of fins, darker red.
    5. Oral surfaces of web and arms maroon.
    6. Sucker aperatures orange-brown.

  10. Measurements
    1. Measurements and counts can be found here.

References

O'Shea, Steve. 1999. The Marine Fauna of New Zealand: Octopoda (Mollusca: Cephalopoda). NIWA Biodiversity Memoir 112: 280pp.

About This Page

Steve O'Shea
Oceanic Sciences Research Institute, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand


University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA


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

All Rights Reserved.

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