Under Construction

Chiroteuthis sp. B2

Clyde F. E. Roper and Richard E. Young
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The illustrated squid is deposited in the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., U.S.A..
Containing group: Chiroteuthis

Introduction

Chiroteuthis sp. B2 is a member of the Chiroteuthis joubini species complex. It is most easily separated from these species by features of the proximal section of the tentacular club and by sucker dentition.

Diagnosis

A Chiroteuthis ...

Characteristics

  1. Arms
    1. Largest arm suckers with ca. 25 sharply pointed teeth. Teeth triangular distally becoming saw-toothed laterally; proximal 1/5 of sucker ring smooth.
    2. Largest suckers not globular.
  2. Tentacular clubs
    1. Suckers without enlarged central tooth.
    2. Sucker stalks in two distinct parts; each basal portion with small flag; stalks of lateral and medial suckers about equal in length.
    3. Protective membranes
      1. Membranes in three distinctive sets of roughtly comparable length;  intermediate set with fused trabeculae.
  3. Photophores
    1. Eyeball - Two series of circular organs.
    2. Viscera: two large organs.
  4. Pigmentation
    1. Sucker stalks with light pigmentation, becoming less pigmented distally; without pleats.
    2. Buccal membrane unpigmented.

Comments

The pointed teeth in the large arm suckers, the lack of pleats on the club sucker stalks and the position of the proximal aboral photophore on the club seem to separate this species from other members of the species group. However, until the range of variation in these characters is better understood, the validity of this taxon will be in question.

More details of the description of Chiroteuthis sp. B2 are found here.

Life history

Little is known of the life history of this species.

Distribution

Temperate South Atlantic. Some variation in sucker dentition is apparent
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 Chiroteuthis sp. B2
Location South Atlantic Ocean
Creator J. R. Schroeder
Sex Female
Life Cycle Stage immature
Size 130 mm ML
About This Page


Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D. C., USA


University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA

All Rights Reserved.

Citing this page:

Roper, Clyde F. E. and Richard E. Young. 1999. Chiroteuthis sp. B2. Version 01 January 1999 (under construction). http://tolweb.org/Chiroteuthis_sp._B2/19473/1999.01.01 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/

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Chiroteuthis sp. B2

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