Narrowteuthis nesisi Young and Vecchione, 2005

Introduction

Narrowteuthis nesisi was described from two specimens that were captured near the Canary Islands in a tow that also captured two specimens of Neoteuthis thielei. Both specimens of the new squid were damaged. The paratype is represented only by the head and oral crown. The holotype is intact although the beaks have been removed by a previous investigator and not returned, the gladius was removed and remains with the specimen, one gill and several chunks of mantle tissue have been removed.

Brief diagnosis:

• with short clubs (20% of ML) and short fins (35% of ML).
• with carpal tentacle locking-apparatus.
• with proximal manal suckers laterally compressed.

Characteristics

1. Arms
   1. Arm suckers large; sucker rings smooth; sucker (only one remains) of arms IV much smaller than corresponding sucker of arm III.
   

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   Figure. Oral view of large arm suckers of N. nesisi, holotype. Photograph by R. Young.

   Scanning electron micrographs of the suckers can be found here.

2. Tentacles
   1. Tentacles long and slender.
   2. Clubs short (20% ML).
   3. Locking apparatus with carpal, manal and stock components.
   4. Proximal-manus short (65% of club length, 5% ML).
   5. Dactylus tapers to a slender, neck-like distal portion and expanded terminal pad; suckers in 4-5 irregular series at proximal end of distal manus becoming 4 series on dactylus and 1-2 series on neck-like region of dactylus; terminal pad with 6-7 suckers of varying sizes forming a circle or partial circle around a central bare space.
      

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      Figure. Oral view of tentacular club of N. nesisi, holotype. Photograph by R. Young.

   6. Large club suckers (photograph on the right) of the distal-manus with 19-20 slender, pointed teeth around entire margin of inner ring; Proximal teeth slightly shorter than distal teeth and size difference accentuates distally.
   7. Small club suckers (photograph on the left) of the proximal-manus, laterally compressed; inner rings smooth; outer rings with large inward projecting knobs.
      

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      Figure. Oral view of club suckers of N. nesisi. Left - Small suckers of the proximal manus. Right - Large suckers of the distal manus. Photographs by R. Young.

3. Head
   
   1. Beaks: Descriptions can be found here: Lower beak; upper beak.
      
      
4. Fins
   1. Fins narrow, short (35% of ML); attach to mantle (rather than gladius) over most of length; anterior lobes absent (arrow in above photograph points to anterior insertion of fin); posterior ends damaged but probably had posterior lobes.
      

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      Figure. Dorsolateral view of the mantle and one fin of N. nesisi, holotype. Photograph by R. Young.

Comments

Additional features of the description can be found here.

The laterally compressed suckers of the proximal manus and the smooth rings on the arm suckers are unique within the family. The slender gestalt and the approximately equal lengths of the proximal manus and the combined distal manus and dactylus are also distinctive. In addition Narrowteuthis nesisi differs from Neoteuthis in having a tentacle locking-apparatus that extends onto the stalk. It differs from both Neoteuthis and Nototeuthis in relative fin length (ca. 35% of ML in Narrowteuthis compared to 60-70% in the other two genera). It further differs from Nototeuthis in the absence of two greatly enlarged suckers on the distal manus.

Life History

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Figure. Tip of the penis of N. nesisi, holotype. Photograph by R. Young.

Distribution

Type locality: 27°18'N, 19°44'W, near the Canary Islands. Open net that fished mostly at 1750-2000 m.

Other Names for Narrowteuthis nesisi Young and Vecchione, 2005

• Narrowteuthis Young and Vecchione, 2005

References

Toll, R.B. 1982. The comparative morphology of the gladius in the Order Teuthoidea (Mollusca: Cephalopoda) in relation to systematics and phylogeny. PhD. Dissertation, University of Miami, 390 pp.

Young, R. E. and M. Vecchione. 2005. Narrowteuthis nesisi, a new genus and new species of the squid family Neoteuthidae (Mollusca; Cephalopoda). Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, 118 (3): 566-569.