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Abraliopsis atlantica Nesis 1982

Kotaro Tsuchiya

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Containing group: Abraliopsis

Introduction

A. atlantica is based on the illustration of an enoploteuthid squid in Chun (1910). Details of morphology are still uncertain.

Characteristics

Tentacle clubs
1. Two rows of distinct different-sized hooks on manus.
2. Carpal flap and aboral keel absent.
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  Figure. Oral view of the tentacular club of A. atlantica, mature male, eastern tropical Atlantic. Drawing from Chun (1910).
Arms
1. Arms IV relatively long.
Hectocotylus and male sexual dimorphism
1. Hectocotylus with two subequal-sized offset flaps.
2. Modified portion without armature.
3. Protective membrane and its spatulate trabeculae well developed on left arm IV, web-like; minute conical papillae on trabeculae.
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  Figure. Oral view of the highly modified left arm IV and the base of right arm IV (hectocotylus) of A. atlantica, mature male, eastern tropical Atlantic. Drawing from Chun (1910).
Integumental Photophores
1. Ventral mantle with six narrow longitudinal stripes of large integumental organs and scattered intermediate small organs between stripes and with a distinct wide mid-ventral photophore-less strip.
2. Ventral head with three narrow, longitudinal stripes and some intermediate scattered organs between them.
3. Stripes of organs along ventral side of arm III and dorsal side of arm IV are interrupted.

Comments

This species closely resembles A. falco.

Nomenclature

Chun (1910) redescribed Abraliopsis morisii (Vérany, 1839) from Atlantic and Indian Ocean specimens. The illustrations accompanying the text clearly show that more than one species was included in the description. Subsequently, Nesis (1982) named, on the basis of these illustrations, two new species of Abraliopsis (i.e., A. atlantica and A. chuni).

Life history

Age

Female longetivity is up to 5 months and male up to 3.5months (Arkhipkin and Murzov, 1990).

Distribution

Vertical Distribution

In the Benguela area, equatorial East Atlantic, this species is distributed vertically in the upper layer of the thermocline during daytime, and from the surface to 100-150m at night (Arkhipkin and Murzov, 1990).

Geographical Distribution

Tropical to subtropical Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico (Nesis, 1982/87).

References

Arkhipkin, A.I. and Murzov, S.A. 1990. Age and growth pattern of the micronectonic squid Abraliopsis atlantica. Biologiya Morya, no.5, 19-25.

Chun, C. 1910. Die Cephalopoden. Oegopsida. Wissenschaftliche eregebnisse der deutschen tiefsee expedition auf dem dampfer "Valdivia" 1898-1899, 18(1):1-401.

Nesis, K. N. 1982. Abridged key to the cephalopod mollusks of the world's ocean. 385+ii pp. Light and Food Industry Publishing House, Moscow. (In Russian.). Translated into English by B. S. Levitov, ed. by L. A. Burgess (1987), Cephalopods of the world. T. F. H. Publications, Neptune City, NJ, 351pp.

Title Illustrations

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Scientific Name	Abraliopsis atlantica
Location	Equatoral Eastern Atlantic at 0?52'N, 0?31'E
Reference	Chun, C. 1910. Die Cephalopoden. Oegopsida. Wissenschaftliche eregebnisse der deutschen tiefsee expedition auf dem dampfer "Valdivia" 1898-1899, 18(1):1-401
Sex	Male
View	Ventral
Size	29 mm ML

About This Page

Tokyo University of Fisheries, Tokyo, Japan

Content changed 01 August 2009

Citing this page:

Tsuchiya, Kotaro. 2009. Abraliopsis atlantica Nesis 1982. Version 01 August 2009 (under construction). http://tolweb.org/Abraliopsis_atlantica/19683/2009.08.01 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/