Doryteuthis Naef, 1912

Introduction

Doryteuthis species are the common inshore squids of American waters. Several species (e.g., D. pealeii, D. opalescens) are targets of substantial fisheries. The genus is defined by geography and the absence of specific modifications that define other genera.

Diagnosis

A loliginid ...

• with fins in adults rhomboidal, longer than broad, (length <70% of ML); mantle elongate, pointed posteriorly; cement body of spermatophore short.
• with a distribution in waters off the Americas.

Characteristics

1. Arms
1. Hectocotylus:
1. Ventral crest absent.
2. Proximal suckers unmodified.
3. Distal suckers of reduced size, sucker stalks elongated to form papillae in either dorsal or both dorsal and ventral series.
   
   
2. Tentacles
1. Tentacular clubs expanded, suckers in four series.
   
   
3. Fins
1. Fins extend to posterior tip of mantle.
image info

Figure. Dorsal view of D. (Doryteuthis) plei in an aquarium. Photograph by Roger Hanlon.

4. Photophores
1. Photophores absent.
   
   
5. Viscera
1. Eggs less than 4 mm.
2. Spermatophore cement body short.

Comments

The genus is subdivided into three subgenera, two of which are named, D. (Doryteuthis) and D. (Amerigo). Species of D. (Doryteuthis) have the modified portion of the hectocotylized arm extending to the arm tip, and the edges of gladius vane are thickened, while in D. (Amerigo) neither of these conditions hold. Doryteuthis sanpaulensis does not belong in either of these subgenera and was considered by Vecchione et al. (2005) to be the sole recognized species in an undescribed subgenus.

image info

Figure. Oral view of the distal region of the hectocotylus of D. (Doryteuthis) plei, 105 mm ML, off S.E. USA, preserved. Photograph by R. Young.

Although we tend to think of squids as constantly swimming, D. (A.) pealeii is often observed sitting on the ocean floor or the bottom of an aquarium.

image info

Figure. Side view of D. (Amerigo) pealeii sitting on the substrate in an aquarium. Photograph by Clyde Roper.

Distribution

American waters of the western Atlantic and eastern Pacific Oceans.

References

Vecchione, M., E. Shea, S. Bussarawit, F. Anderson, D. Alexeyev, C.-C. Lu, T. Okutani, M. Roeleveld, C. Chotiyaputta, C. Roper, E. Jorgensen and N. Sukramongkol. 2005. Systematics of Indo-West Pacific loliginids. Phuket Mar. Biol. Cent. Res. Bull. 66: 23-26.