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Grimpoteuthis challengeri Collins 2003

Martin Collins, Michael Vecchione, and Richard E. Young
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Containing group: Grimpoteuthis

Introduction

Grimpoteuthis challengeri is a large abyssal species recently described from the Porcupine Abyssal Plain in the N. E. Atlantic with one record from the N. W. Atlantic (Collins, 2003).

Characteristics

  1. Arms and web
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    Figure. Oral view of arms and web of C. challengeri, male, 58 mm ML, holotype. Drawings from Collins (2003).

    1. Arms long, subequal in length.
    2. Web extends 2/3 of arm length; extends farther on dorsal arms.
    3. Web formula: A>B>C>D>E.
    4. Single web nodule prominent on ventral side of each arm; located at sucker 34 (arm I), 30 (arm II), 28 (arm III) or 27 (arm IV).
    5. Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window
      Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window

      Figure. Oral view of arm I of C. challengeri, holotype. Drawing from Collins (2003).

    6. Sucker count 63-72.
    7. Suckers cyclindrical, height similar to diameter (diameter 4.6% of head width).
    8. Maximum sucker diameter between suckers 30 and 38.
    9. Suckers more deeply embedded in in arms of females.
    10. Cirri long (mean maximum cirrus length from all individuals - 13.7% of head width).
    11. First cirri between suckers 4 and 7.
    12. Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window
      Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window

      Figure. Lateral view of suckers and cirri of C. challengeri. Left - Female, 70 mm ML. Right - Male, holotype. Drawings from Collins (2003).

  2. Shell
    1. Robust U-shape with nearly parallel outer walls of lateral wings.
    2. Inner and outer surfaces of saddle convex.
    3. Lateral wing terminates in two lobes.
    4. Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window
      Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window

      Figure. Lateral (left), dorsal (middle) and ventral (right) views of the shell of C. challengeri, male, 75 mm ML. Drawings from Collins (2003).

Comments

The above description is from Collins, 2002. More details of the description of G. challengeri can be found here.

Among other Atlantic species, Grimpoteuthis challengeri differs, where known, in having slender rather than broad gill lamellae. In addition it differs from:

Life History

Oviducal eggs reach 13 mm in longest dimension.

Distribution

The type locality is Porcupine Abyssal Plain at 48°56'N, 15°45'W, and a depth of 4828-4838 m. This species is known only from the type locality and from an unknown locality somewhere in the Northwest Atlantic (Collins, 2002).

References

Collins, M. A. 2003. The genus Grimpoteuthis (Octopoda: Grimpoteuthidae) in the North-east Atlantic, with descriptions of three new species. Zool. Journ. Linnean Soc., 139: 93-127.

Title Illustrations
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Scientific Name Grimpoteuthis challengeri
Location 46°N, 14°W
Reference Collins, M. A. 2003. The genus Grimpoteuthis (Octopoda: Grimpoteuthidae) in the North-east Atlantic, with descriptions of three new species. Zool. Journ. Linnean Soc., 139: 93-127.
Sex Male
View Dorsal, ventral
Size 295 mm TL
Type Holotype
Copyright © Martin Collins
About This Page

Martin Collins
Aberdeen University, Aberdeen, UK


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


University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA

All Rights Reserved.

Citing this page:

Collins, Martin, Michael Vecchione, and Richard E. Young. 2003. Grimpoteuthis challengeri Collins 2003. Version 13 May 2003 (under construction). http://tolweb.org/Grimpoteuthis_challengeri/20120/2003.05.13 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/

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