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Onychoteuthis banksii (Leach, 1817)

K.S.R. Bolstad, Michael Vecchione, Richard E. Young, and Kotaro Tsuchiya
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Containing group: Onychoteuthis

Introduction

Onychoteuthis banksii was thought, until recently, to be a common circumglobal species, although many authors (e.g., Young 1972, Kubodera et al. 1998) suspected the name (as generally applied) to encompass a species complex.  Bolstad (2008) partially resolved the species complex in the Pacific Ocean (redescribing O. banksii from the Atlantic in the process), and Bolstad (2010) separated out an additional species, O. horstkottei, but it is likely that additional unrecognized species still exist.

Characteristics

  1. Photophores
    1. Two circular intestinal photophores present. Anterior photophore ~75% diameter of posterior photophore.
    2. Ocular photophore a long whitish patch on ventral surface of each eyeball.
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      Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window

      Ventral view of the visceral photophores of O. banksii, holotype. Photograph by M. Vecchione.

  2. Measurements of holotype
    1. Mantle length - 30 mm
    2. Arm lengths - All equal
    3. Fin length - 18 mm
    4. Fin width - 16 mm
    5. Club length - 14 mm
    6. Club hook numbers - 11 in ventral series, 11 in dorsal series.
    7. Largest hooks - Hooks V6 and V7
    8. Smallest mid-series dorsal hooks - Hooks D4 and D5

  3. Tentacle club
    1. Length ~27% ML, with 20–23 long, slender, strongly recurved hooks.
    2. Distal-most ventral hook bases not produced into spike.
      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

       Right tentacle club of O. banksii, USNM 727512, ML 49 mm.  Illustration from Bolstad (2008).

    Comments

    The holotype (BMNH 1986266) is in fair condition, slightly cleared and without chromatophores. The gladius and left tentacle are missing.

Distribution

Type locality: Gulf of Guinea.  Central north Atlantic, including Gulf of Mexico; 800-0 m (Bolstad 2010).

References

Bolstad, K.S. 2008. Two new species and a review of the squid genus Onychoteuthis Lichtenstein, 1818 (Oegopsida: Onychoteuthidae) from the Pacific Ocean. Bulletin of Marine Science, 83: 481–529.

Bolstad, K.S.R. 2010. Systematics of the Onychoteuthidae Gray, 1847 (Cephalopoda: Oegopsida). Zootaxa, 2696: 186pp.

Kubodera, T., Piatkowski, U., Okutani, T. & Clarke, M.R. 1998. Taxonomy and zoogeography of the family Onychoteuthidae (Cephalopoda: Oegopsida). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, 586: 277–291.

Leach, W.E. 1817. Synopsis of the Orders, Families, and Genera of the Class Cephalopoda. The Zoological Miscellany; being Descriptions of New or Interesting Animals, 3(30): 137-141.

Young, R.E. .1972. The systematics and areal distribution of pelagic cephalopods from the seas of Southern California. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, 97: 108pp., 37 pls.

Title Illustrations
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
Scientific Name Onychoteuthis banksii
Specimen Condition Dead Specimen
Type Holotype
Image Use creative commons This media file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License - Version 3.0.
Copyright ©
Scientific Name Onychoteuthis banksii
Copyright © 2008 K.S.R. Bolstad
About This Page

K.S.R. Bolstad
Auckland University of Technology


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


University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA


Tokyo University of Fisheries, Tokyo, Japan

Correspondence regarding this page should be directed to K.S.R. Bolstad at

Page: Tree of Life Onychoteuthis banksii (Leach, 1817). Authored by K.S.R. Bolstad, Michael Vecchione, Richard E. Young, and Kotaro Tsuchiya. The TEXT of this page is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License - Version 3.0. Note that images and other media featured on this page are each governed by their own license, and they may or may not be available for reuse. Click on an image or a media link to access the media data window, which provides the relevant licensing information. For the general terms and conditions of ToL material reuse and redistribution, please see the Tree of Life Copyright Policies.

Citing this page:

Bolstad, K.S.R., Michael Vecchione, Richard E. Young, and Kotaro Tsuchiya. 2010. Onychoteuthis banksii (Leach, 1817). Version 23 December 2010 (under construction). http://tolweb.org/Onychoteuthis_banksii/19962/2010.12.23 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/

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