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Grimpoteuthis hippocrepium (Hoyle, 1904)

Richard E. Young and Michael Vecchione
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Containing group: Grimpoteuthis

Introduction

G. hippocrepium was described from a single, small individual which was "sadly mutilated" by the time it was described. However, the color drawings were made on the freshly captured animal. Nevertheless, many features of this species are unknown and a redescription based on new material is badly needed.

Characteristics

  1. Arms and web
    1. Web attaches to ventral margin of arm to somewhat over half of the arm length; attachment to dorsal margin unknown due to damage.
    2. Single web nodule present at distal point of attachment of web to ventral arm margin. This occurs opposite about sucker number 25.
    3. Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window
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      Figure. Portion of arm III showing web nodule on ventral margin of arm. Drawing from Hoyle, 1904.

    4. Arm suckers number over 50 (distal 5-10 mm missing).
    5. First cirri begin between suckers 4 and 5.

  2. Shell
    1. "Horseshoe-shaped", smooth surface with no "characteristic markings or prominences."
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    Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window

    Figure. The shell of G. hippocrepium. Left - Lateral-oblique view of shell. Right - Dorsal view of the body showing the position of the shell and one fin. Drawings from Hoyle, 1904.

  3. Measurements
    • Total length - ca. 80 mm.
    • End of body to mantle margin - 23 mm.
    • Width of body - 20 mm.
    • Width of head - 22 mm.
    • Length of fin - 28 mm.
    • Width of fin at origin - 13 mm.
    • Diameter of largest sucker - 1.2 mm.
    • Arm I: Right - 80,; Left - 90,.
    • Arm II: Right - 75,; Left - 85,.
    • Arm III: Right - 70,; Left - 85,.
    • Arm IV: Right - 65,; Left - 75,.

Comments

The above description was taken from Hoyle (1904). Hoyle gave few characters of specific value in his original description. Voss and Pearcy (1990) state that the type is in poor condition and little can be learned from it. However they did not declare G. hippocrepium a nomen dubium.

Among Pacific species, G. hippocrepium differs from:

Distribution

The type locality is southwest of Malpelo Island, eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, at 02°35'N, 83°53'W.

References

Hoyle, W. E. 1886. Report on the Cephalopoda Collected by H.M.S. Challenger during the Years 1873-76. Report of the Voyage of the Challenger, Zoology, 16 (44): 1-346, 33 pls.

O’Shea, Steve. 1999. The Marine Fauna of New Zealand: Octopoda (Mollusca: Cephalopoda). NIWA Biodiversity Memoir 112: 280pp.

Title Illustrations
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Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window
Scientific Name Grimpoteuthis hippocrepium
Reference Drawing from Hoyle, 1904.
Specimen Condition Fresh
View Ventral and oral
Type Holotype
About This Page


University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA


National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D. C. , USA

Page: Tree of Life Grimpoteuthis hippocrepium (Hoyle, 1904). Authored by Richard E. Young and Michael Vecchione. 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 Michael Vecchione. 2003. Grimpoteuthis hippocrepium (Hoyle, 1904). Version 13 May 2003 (under construction). http://tolweb.org/Grimpoteuthis_hippocrepium/20122/2003.05.13 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/

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