Abralia multihamata
Kotaro Tsuchiya
Introduction
A. multihamata is a species endemic to the shelf waters along the south of Sagami Bay, Japan to Formosa. It is characterized by the scattered arrangement of ventral mantle photophores, six club hooks, and more than five eye photophores of two types. The taxonomic status with A. spaercki is problematic.
Characteristics
- Tentacle club
- About six hooks on ventral side.
- Two rows of large suckers on dorsal side.
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Figure. Oral view of the tentacular club of A. multihamata, Sagami Bay. Drawing from Tsuchiya (2000).
- Hectocotylus
- Right ventral arm of male hectocotylized.
- Hectocotylus with two different-sized offset flaps.
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Figure. Oral view of the distal portion of the hectocotylus of A. multihamata, Sagami Bay. Drawing from Tsuchiya (2000).
- Eye Photophores
- Five major organs: two large opaque, terminal organs and three intermediate silvery organs; small silvery additional organs present.
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Figure. Ventrolateral view of the ocular photophores of A. multihamata, male, Japanese waters. Drawing from Sasaki (1929).
- Integument Photophores
- Ventral mantle with scattered arrangement of integumental organs.
- Ventral head with indistinct striped arrangement of integumental organs.
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Figure. Ventral view of the head photophores of A. multihamata, male, Japanese waters.Drawing from Sasaki (1929).
Nomenclature
Tsuchiya and Okutani (1988) suggest that the A. multihamata described and named by Sasaki (1929) is a young stage of A. lucens Voss, 1973. Sasaki's specimens ranged from 25-32 mm ML while Voss's specimens ranged from 43-62 mm ML. Since Voss's illustration is probably of an adult A. multihamata, it is reproduced here:
Figure. Ventral and Dorsal views of Abralia lucens Voss, G.L. 1963, holotype, female, 62 mm ML. Drawing from Voss (1963).
Life history
Spent specimens are collected in large number from the East China Sea in October by bottom trawl.Distribution
Vertical distribution
A. multihamata is possibly bottom associated or mesopelagic boundary species. Specimens were collected by bottom trawl from the East China Sea.
Geographical distribution
This species was first described from Formosan waters. It is distributed in shelf waters of the East China Sea, northward to Sagami Bay and the eastern sector of the Japan Sea.
References
Sasaki, M. 1929. A Monograph of the Dibranchiate Cephalopods of the Japanese and Adjacent Waters. Journal of the College of Agriculture, Hokkaido Imperial University,357 pp.
Tsuchiya, K. 2000. Illustrated book of the Enoploteuthidae. In: Okutani T., ed. True face of Watasenia scintillans. Tokai University Press, Tokyo, p 196?269. (in Japanese)
Title Illustrations
| Scientific Name | Abralia multihamata |
|---|---|
| Location | Sagami Bay, Japan |
| Reference | Sasaki, M. 1929. A Monograph of the Dibranchiate Cephalopods of the Japanese and Adjacent Waters. Journal of the College of Agriculture, Hokkaido Imperial University,357 pp. |
| Sex | Male |
| Life Cycle Stage | Mature |
| View | Ventral |
| Size | 35 mm ML |
About This Page
Tokyo University of Fisheries, Tokyo, Japan
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- Content changed 26 July 2009
Citing this page:
Tsuchiya, Kotaro. 2009. Abralia multihamata . Version 26 July 2009 (under construction). http://tolweb.org/Abralia_multihamata/19658/2009.07.26 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/
