Taoniinae
Richard E. Young![taxon links](/Public/treeImages/Taoniinae.png?x=33346126)
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close boxIntroduction
The Taoniinae is much more diverse in genera and species than the Cranchiinae.
Brief diagnosis:
A cranchiid ...
- without cartilagenous tubercules on mantle except, occasionally, at funnel and nuchal locking points.
- with one to three photophores of very different sizes and shapes on eyes.
Characteristics
- Arms
- Arms IV not hectocotylized in males.
- Arms IV not hectocotylized in males.
- Head
- Eyes on stalks in paralarvae and in some juveniles.
Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new windowFigure. Paralarvae of Megalocranchia fisheri (left, anterolateral view) and Bathothauma lyromma (right, dorsal view), Hawaiian waters. Stalked eyes in which the eye and optic lobe are separated from the brain by a long optic stalk, is unique to the Cranchiidae and are present in young stages of virtually all taoniins. Photographs by R. Young.
- Eyes on stalks in paralarvae and in some juveniles.
- Funnel
- Funnel not fused to head laterally.
- Funnel not fused to head laterally.
- Mantle.
- Cartilagenous strips on mantle absent. Cartilagenous tubercules, when present, occur only where the mantle is fused to the head and funnel at the funnel and nuchal locking-points.
- Cartilagenous strips on mantle absent. Cartilagenous tubercules, when present, occur only where the mantle is fused to the head and funnel at the funnel and nuchal locking-points.
- Photophores
- Eyes with one to three (most commonly two) photophores of very different sizes and shapes.
Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window
Figure. Ventrolateral view of the head and funnel of Taonius borealis, showing (1) the most common photophore arrangement of ocular photophores in the Taoniinae and (2) the two small tubercules the mantle is fused to the funnel. Each photophore is composed of two components, a golden-colored region bearing the photogenetic material, and a white region composed of light guides to distribute the light over the eyeball. Also note . Photograph by H-J Hoving.
- Eyes with one to three (most commonly two) photophores of very different sizes and shapes.
- Viscera
- Stomach larger than caecum.
Comparison of genera (blank cell = N)
Fins small, separate, paddle-like | Short, lanceolate fins inserting on broadest point on gladius | Moderate, lanceolate fins inserting on mantle | Long, lanceolate, terminal fins | Funnel valve | Tubercules at funnel-mantle fusion | Tubular eyes in juveniles | Hooks or hook-like suckers on clubs | Three photo-phores on eyeball | Photo-phores on viscera | Suckers on tentacle stalk in 4 series. Distally only* | |
Bathothauma | Y | Y* | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Helicocranchia | Y | ||||||||||
Sandalops | Y | Y | |||||||||
Liguriella | Y | Y | |||||||||
Mesonychoteuthis | Y/N | Y | |||||||||
Galiteuthis | Y | Y/N | Y | ||||||||
Taonius | Y | * | Y | Y | |||||||
Teuthowenia | Y | Y | Y | Y | |||||||
Megalocranchia | Y | Y | Y* | ||||||||
Egea | Y | Y |
Title Illustrations
![Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window](/tree/img/magnify.gif)
Scientific Name | Galiteuthis armata |
---|---|
Location | Central North Atlantic |
Acknowledgements | Photograph taken on the MarEco cruise of the R/V G.O. SARS |
Specimen Condition | Live Specimen |
View | Side |
Size | 240 mm ML |
Image Use |
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Copyright |
© 2004
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About This Page
University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA
Correspondence regarding this page should be directed to Richard E. Young at
Page copyright © 2019
Page: Tree of Life
Taoniinae
Authored by
. Richard E. Young.
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- First online 17 September 2004
- Content changed 27 February 2016
Citing this page:
Young, Richard E. 2016. Taoniinae http://tolweb.org/Taoniinae/19545/2016.02.27 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/
. Version 27 February 2016 (under construction).