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Liocranchia Pfeffer 1884

Richard E. Young and Katharina M. Mangold (1922-2003)
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The genus contains two species.
taxon links [up-->]Liocranchia reinhardti [up-->]Liocranchia valdiviae [down<--]Cranchiinae Interpreting the tree
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Containing group: Cranchiinae

Introduction

These moderate-sized squids reach a maximum size of 250 mm (Nesis, 1982). They are cosmopolitan in tropical and subtropical waters although Young (1995) suggested that L. reinhardti was a mesopelagic boundary species (i.e., that it is associated with land masses). In Hawaiian waters L. reinhardti is a vertical migrator while L. valdiviae is a deep-living non-migrator (Young, 1978).

Brief diagnosis:

A cranchiin ...

Characteristics

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Figure. Young Liocranchia sp., off Hawaii, showing sessile eyes. Photograph by R.E. Young.

  1. Tentacles
    1. Suckers and pads in two series on distal 2/3 of tentacle stalk.

  2. Head
    1. Eyes sessile in paralarvae.

  3. Funnel
    1. Funnel valve present.
    2. Funnel organ with very large ventral pads.

  4. Mantle
    1. Two pairs of diverging tuberculate cartilaginous strips on mantle; originate at each funnel-mantle fusion (see Title picture).

  5. Fins
    1. Fins unite posterior to gladius (nearly circular in combined outline) (see Title picture).

  6. Photophores
    1. Number of oval photophores on each eye varies with species (4 or 14).
    2. Photophores on tips of arms III in mature or nearly mature females.

Comments

Characteristics are from Voss (1980).

Comparison of species

  Cartilagenous tubercules present along middorsal line of mantle. Number of photophores on eyeball.
L. reinhardti Yes 14
L. valdiviae No 4

 

References

Voss, N. A. 1980. A generic revision of the Cranchiidae (Cephalopoda; Oegopsida). Bull. Mar. Sci. 30: 365-412.

Young, R. E. 1978. Vertical distribution and photosensitive vesicles of pelagic cephalopods from Hawaiian waters. Fish. Bull. 76: 583-615.

Young, R. E. 1995. Aspects of the natural history of pelagic cephalopods of the Hawaiian mesopelagic-boundary region. Pacific Science 49: 143-155.

Title Illustrations
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Scientific Name Liocranchia reinhardti
Reference from Voss, N. A. 1980. A generic revision of the Cranchiidae (Cephalopoda; Oegopsida). Bull. Mar. Sci. 30: 365-412. p. 379, printed with the permission
Copyright © 1980 Bulletin of Marine Science
About This Page
Drawings from Voss (1980) printed with the Permission of the Bulletin of Marine Science


University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA

Katharina M. Mangold (1922-2003)
Laboratoire Arago, Banyuls-Sur-Mer, France

Page: Tree of Life Liocranchia Pfeffer 1884. Authored by Richard E. Young and Katharina M. Mangold (1922-2003). 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.

Citing this page:

Young, Richard E. and Katharina M. Mangold (1922-2003). 1996. Liocranchia Pfeffer 1884. Version 01 January 1996 (under construction). http://tolweb.org/Liocranchia/19543/1996.01.01 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/

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