Walvisteuthis rancureli: Description Continued

1. Arms
   1. Length averages 52-54% of ML
   2. Arm II and III with 62 suckers
2. Tentacles
1. Club length 34-37% of ML.
2. Carpal locking-apparatus with 7-9 suckers.
3. Club with 24-25 hooks .
4. Club with 0-1 unpaired hooks.
5. Dorsal trabeculate protective membrane, short and narrow, barely detectable (see drawing on right).
6. Ventral, transparent, trabeculate protective membrane present from terminal pad to carpal pad
7. Terminal pad with 8-11 suckers.
8. Dorsal hook series without a mid-series size minimum.


Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window



Figure. Views of the tentacular club of W. rancureli, 65 mm ML, male, Hawaii. Left - Dorsal-oral view. Drawing by R. Young. Right - Ventral view of proximal region of club showing the protective membrane and its broad trabeculae. Note also, the ridge that extends along the aboral surface of the proximal club. This extends along much of stalk also. Behind the ridge distally is the blurred dorsal keel. Club, stained with methlene blue. Photograph by R. Young.



Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window



Figure. Oral views of the club of W. rancureli, 65 mm ML, Hawaiian waters.  Left - Club showing the carpal locking-apparatus. Note the small sucker immediately distal to the carpal region, ventral series, and the small marginal sucker between hooks 2 and 3, dorsal series.  Right - Slightly enlarged and overlapping view of the same club to show the shape of the large, ventral-series hooks.

3. Head
1. Beaks with a distinct step along the angle point.
   

   Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window

   

   Figure. Various views of the beaks of W. rancureli, 37 mm ML, Hawaiian waters. A- Lateral view of upper beak. B- Ventral view of lower beak. C- Lateral view of lower beak. Note lateral-wall ridge is weak. D- Oral view of lower beak. B-D is the same beak, This beak was cut in half to enable views C and D. The step along the angle point is present but not apparent in the photograph. Photographs by R. Young.

4. Gladius
1. The rostrum is broadly rounded, laterally compressed and oriented perpendicular to tip of gladius.
2. The conus is weakly developed.


Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window



Figure. Lateral view of posterior end of gladius of W. rancureli, 37 mm ML, Hawaiian waters. Photograph by R. Young.

5. Measurements

Location	21° 26'N 158° 15'W	Hawaiian waters
Sex	Male, Imm.
	mm, %ML	mm, %ML
Mantle length	65	37
Mantle width	21, 32	16, 43
Fin length	27, 42	18, 49
Fin width	60, 92	38, 103
Head width	26, 40	14, 38
Tent. length	52, 80	31, 84
Club length	24, 37	12.5, 34
Arm I, length	27, 42	17, 46
Arm II, length	34, 52	20, 54
Arm III, length	34, 52	20, 54
Arm IV, length	34, 52	20, 54
Max. sucker diam.	1.5, 2.3	1.1, 3.0

Comments