Histioteuthis miranda: Description continued

1. Photophores
   1. Compound photophores of uniform, medium size on most of ventral mantle.
      

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      Figure. Ventral view of mantle of H. miranda, 182 mm ML, neotype. Drawing extracted from Fig. 24a of Voss, 1969.

   2. Compound photophores number usually 16-17 (rarely 15) around right eyelid.
      

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      Figure. Lateral view of right eyelid of H. miranda, neotype. Drawing modified from Voss, 1969 (Fig. 25e).

   3. Arms IV with 5 longitudinal series on arm base (seen in 2 basal rows, then decreases to 4 series).
      

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      Figure. Ventral view of arm IV of H. miranda, neotype. Drawing from Voss, 1969 (Fig. 24g).

2. Tentacles
   1. Suckers of manus in 6-7 irregular series. Median suckers about twice the size of ventral marginal suckers.
      

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      Figure. Oral view of club of H. miranda, neotype. Drawing from Voss, 1969 (Fig. 24b).

3. Arms
   1. Subequal; length 100-150% of ML.
4. Sucker dentition
   1. Largest suckers from manus of club with about 45-51 short, irregular, pointed teeth around entire margin (drawing on the left).
   2. Largest arm suckers with about 5-12 low, blunt or square teeth on distal and lateral margins.
      

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      Figure. Oral view of suckers of H. miranda, neotype. Drawing from Voss, 1969 (Fig. 24e, f).

5. Tubercles
   1. Basal 20-40% of each arm I-III with aboral row of tubercles beneath epithelium (arms I with 14-19 tubercles, arms II with 11-16, arms III with 7-13). Also present on anterior half of mantle along dorsal midline. Tubercles difficult to detect in large squid.
      

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      Figure. Dorsal view of  tubercules of H. miranda, 17 mm ML, 32° S, 174° E. Drawing extracted from Fig. 25b of Voss, 1969.

6. Web and buccal crown
   1. Inner web unites basal 16-25% of arms I-III; outer web slightly developed.
   2. Buccal crown with 7 supports; each connective to arms II divided with one branch attaching to ventral border of arm I.
      

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      Figure. Oral view of buccal crown of H. miranda, neotype. Drawing from Voss, 1969 (Fig. 25f).

7. Fins
   1. Length 31-44% of ML; width 44-57% of ML.
8. Spermatophores
   1. Length 1.7-2.3% of ML; sperm mass short, 10-14% of spermatophore length (SpL); cement body 62-70% of SpL; ejaculatory apparatus 24-27% of SpL and with single long loop; connective complex well developed with narrow, constricted base.
      

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      Figure. Spermatophore of H. miranda, 249 mm ML, 34° 43' S, 17° 21' E. Drawing from Voss et al., 1998.

9. Hectocotylus
   1. Mature males with arms I modified on distal third with suckers with palisaded, enlarged pedestals. Basal suckers slightly enlarged with swollen, fleshy collars.

Comments

The above information is taken from Voss (1969) and Voss, et al. (1998).

References

Voss, N.A. 1969. A Monograph of the Cephalopoda of the North Atlantic. The Family Histioteuthidae. Bulletin of Marine Science, 19(4):713-867.

Voss, N.A., K. N. Nesis, P. G. Rodhouse. 1998. The cephalopod family Histioteuthidae (Oegopsida): Systematics, biology, and biogeography. In: Systematics and Biogeography of Cephalopods. (Voss, N.A., Vecchione, M., Toll, R.B. & Sweeney, M.J., eds.). Smiths. Contr. Zool., 586(2): 293-372.