Todaropsis eblanae (Ball 1841)

Introduction

T. eblanae has a rather short, broad mantle, broad head, long arms and large fins. It is a demersal species commonly associated with the shelf/slope break (Roper, et al., 2010).

Brief diagnosis:

 A Todarodinae with ...

• both arms IV hectocotylized.
• funnel groove without foveola.
  

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Figure. Dorsal view of T. eblanae.Drawing from Dunning (1998).

Characteristics

1. Arms
   1. Arm protective membranes and trabeculae normal.
   2. Both arms IV hectocotylized.
   

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   Figure. Oral view of the hectocotylized arms of T. eblanae. Left - Drawing of squid from the Mediterranean from Pfeffer (1912). Presumably the hectocotylus was not fully mature. Right - Drawing of squid from the western Central Pacific from Dunning (1998).
   
2. Tentacles
   1. Tentacular stalks without free trabeculae. 
   2. Tentacle long with stalk longer than club.
      
   3. Large, medial club suckers with 30 or more pointed, subequal teeth, without intermediate ridge or plates; with single larger tooth distally in some specimens.
   

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   Figure. Oral view of the tentacular club of T. eblanae.Drawing from Pfeffer (1912).
   

   

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   Figure. Oral view of the sucker ring from the largest club sucker of T. eblanae. Left - Drawing from Roeleveld (1988). Right - Drawing from Dunning (1998).
   

3. Head
   1. Funnel groove without foveola or side pockets.
      
      
4. Funnel: Funnel/mantle locking-apparatus
   

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   Figure. Funnel (left) and mantle (right) components of the funnel/mantle locking apparatus of T. eblanae. Drawing from Pfeffer (1912).

5. Fins
   1. Fins large. Fin length more than 40% of ML.

Distribution

Distribution in the Mediterranean Sea and eastern Atlantic Ocean is from the Shetland Islands to Cape Town, South Africa; in the western Indian Ocean it is associated with several mid-ocean banks; in the Pacific it is found in the South China Sea and off Australia  (Roper et al., 2010).

Other Names for Todaropsis eblanae (Ball 1841)

• Todaropsis Girard 1890
• Golden arrow squid

References

Dunning, M. C. 1998. Ommastrephidae. In: Carpenter, K.E.; Niem, V.H. (eds) FAO species identification guide for fishery purposes.The living marine resources of the Western Central Pacific. Volume 2. Cephalopods, crustaceans,holothurians and sharks. Rome, FAO. 1998. 687-1396 p.

Pfeffer, G. 1912. Die Cephalopoden der Plankton-Expedition. Ergebniss der Plankton-Expedition der Humboldt-Stiftung. 2: 1-815.

Roper, C. F. E, Nigmatulin, C. and P. Jereb. 2010. P. 345-347. In: Jereb. P; Roper, C.F.E (eds). Cephalopoda of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of cephalopod species known to date. Vol. 2. Myopsid and Oegopsid Squids. FAO Species Catalogue for Fishery Purposes. No. 4, Vol.2. Rome, FAO. 2010.