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Note

Echinoteuthis famelica: Description continued

Richard E. Young
  1. Arms
    1. Arms I, short, about 33-35% of ML.
    2. Arms II and III subequal, about 43-48% of ML.
    3. Arms IV, long and broad, about 70-75% of ML.
    4. Arms IV with relatively thin, narrow trabeculate protective
    5. membranes on ventral border and broad, thick membranes dorsally (see photograph).
      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. Photograph of two arms of E. famelica, preserved. The broader arm IV (lateral view) shows the wide tentacle sheath (horizontal arrow) and a trabecula (lower vertical arrow) of the ventral protective membrane; the more slender arm (oral view of a more dorsal arm, near the tip) shows trabeculae (upper vertical arrow) and a protective membrane. An apparent parasite (oblique arrow) is embedded in arm IV.

    6. Largest suckers of all arms approximately equal in size.
      1. Arm suckers with 10-12 slender, pointed teeth on distal margin; lateral most teeth broader, somewhat truncate.
      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. - Oral view of preserved arm suckers of E. famelica, neotype. Photographs by R. Young.

  2. Tentacles
    1. Tentacle whip-like, circular in cross-section.
    2. Club length about 40% of tentacle length.
    3. Club covers about 40% of tentacle circumference within a few mm of club base; near tip club covers about 90% of tentacle circumference.
    4. Widest region of club (ca. 1/3 from base) with about 17 suckers across.

  3. Head
    1. Eye large, occupies virtually entire side of head (see eye in photograph under "Photophores" above).
    2. Funnel pocket present.
    3. Olfactory organ short, cyclindrical with lightly pigmented, thick stalk and unpigmented head; head diameter equal to or slightly smaller than stalk diameter.
    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. Ventral view of olfactory organ of E. familica, preserved, neotype. Photograph by R. Young.

  4. Funnel locking-apparatus
    1. Tragus large.
    2. Antitragus flat, not undercut.
    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. Funnel/mantle locking-aparatus of E. famelica, Hawaiian waters. Left - Frontal view of funnel component. Left-center (two photographs) - Funnel component cut along the midline then folded back to show the longitudinal section of the lock; in making this section, the tip of the tragus was cut off. (note the highly vacuolated cartilage). Right-center - Frontal view of mantle component. Right - Side view of mantle component. Except for the left photograph, all were stained with methylene blue. Photographs by R. Young.

  5. Mantle
    1. Mantle long and slender; muscular portion terminates posteriorly at 52% of ML (including tail) from the anterior end (i.e., mantle muscle overlaps the anterior third of the fin).
    2. No tubercles in subadults.

  6. Fins
    1. Fins longer than combined width.


  7. Pigmentation
    1. Mantle, head and arms brown-red color.
    2. Much pigment in typical chromatophores.
    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

      Figures. Ventral views of the posterior mantle of E. famelica, neotype, preserved. Left - Enlargement from the title photograph showing individual chromatophores within a portion of the ventral-mantle skin near the fins. Right - View slightly posterior to left photograph (note fin in background), showing, more clearly, the reticulate white tissue that lies beneath the outer surface of the skin and the large chromatophore within the center of each circlet of white tissue. A small piece of skin torn free and turned over is seen in the upper center of the photograph. Photographs by R. Young.

    4. Pigmentation of the head mostly in chromatophores (photograph below of portion of ventral surface of head - note eye lens and tip of funnel).
    5. Tentacle with light epithelial pigmentation at base (photograph below); mostly unpigmented.
    6. Aboral surfaces of arms with mostly pigmentation in chromatophores; oral surfaces with mostly epithelial pigmentation (see photograph of arms above).
    7. 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. Ventral view of head and tentacle stalk base of E. famelica, preserved, neotype. Photograph by R. Young.

  8. Measurements and counts
  9. Squid Neotype    
    Sex Immature female Immature female Immature male
    Mantle length (incl. tail) 241 140 180
    Length of muscular mantle 125    
    Mantle width 39    
    Tail length 25    
    Fin length 135    
    Fin width 113    
    Head length* 25    
    Head width 30    
    Eye diameter 20    
    Eyelid photophore length / width 2.0 / 0.6   4.2 / 3.0
    Arm I Length: L / R 71 / 75    
    Arm II Length 103 / 102    
    Arm III Length 94 / 93    
    Arm IV Length 163 / 154    
    Arm II sucker diameter 1.7    
    Arm III sucker number ca. 128    
    Arm IV sucker number ca. 93    
    Tentacle Length 350 / 368    
    Club Length 150 / 143    
    Club sucker diameter 0.36 mm    
    *Measured from occipital crest to anterior fusion of the muscles of arms I.
About This Page


University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA

Page: Tree of Life Echinoteuthis famelica: Description continued Authored by Richard E. Young. The TEXT of this page is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 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.

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