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Grimpoteuthis plena (Verrill, 1885)

Michael Vecchione and Richard E. Young
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Containing group: Grimpoteuthis

Introduction

G. plena was described from a single octopod and many details are lacking. A redescription based on new specimens from the type locality is badly needed.

Characteristics

  1. Arms and web
    1. Arms I and II longer than arms III and IV.
    2. Arms I with about 55 suckers, 30 within web.
    3. Arm tips with 15-20 closely-spaced suckers.
    4. Suckers in arm center separated by about one sucker diameter.
    5. Largest suckers (2.5 mm diam.) at basal third of arm, suckers near mouth very small.
    6. Slight tendency for suckers to become alternate at basal third of lateral arms.
    7. Cirri short (3-4 mm).

  2. Eyes
    1. Relatively small (12 mm diam.).

  3. Shell
    1. Not described.

  4. Color (in alcohol)
    1. Body and aboral surfaces of web yellowish flesh-color with translucent, gelatinous appearance.
    2. Fins deep brown, darker toward tips.
    3. Oral surfaces of arms and web dark purplish-brown.
    4. Suckers dull brownish-yellow.

  5. Measurements
    • Total length - 185 mm.
    • Mantle length to mantle opening - 57 mm.
    • Mantle width at base of fins - 58 mm.
    • finspan - 130 mm.
    • Fin length - 32 mm.
    • Fin width - 24 mm.
    • Eye diameter - 12 mm.
    • Length, Arm I - 125 mm.
    • Length, Arm II - 120 mm.
    • Length, Arm III - 110 mm.
    • Length, Arm IV - 95 mm.
    • Web depth, Sector A - 70 mm.
    • Web depth, Sector B - 60 mm.
    • Web depth, Sector D - 55 mm.
    • Web depth, Sector E - 35 mm
    • Sucker count - 55 - 60*
    • Diameter largest sucker - 2.5 mm.
    • Length of longest cirrus - 4*  mm.
    • Location of largest suckers - Sucker positions 10 - 28*.

Comments

The above description is taken from Verrill (1885).

Collin Martin writes: "I have examined the type (only specimen) of plena, which is in poor condition, and is presently a valid species of Grimpoteuthis. Further material is needed from the type location to evaluate it properly."

Among other Atlantic species, G. plena cannot be clearly separated but may differ from:

Life History

The type locality is: 37°35'N, 71°18.8'W, 2,000 m depth.

References

Collins, M. A. In press. The genus Grimpoteuthis (Octopoda: Grimpoteuthidae) in the North-east Atlantic, with descriptions of three new species.

Verrill, A.E. 1885. Third catalog of Mollusca recently added to the fauna of the New England coast and the adjacent parts of the Atlantic, consisting mostly of deep-sea species with notes on others previously recorded. Transactions of the Connecticut Academy, 6(2): 395-452.

Title Illustrations
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Scientific Name Grimpoteuthis plena
Reference Verrill, A.E. 1885. Third catalog of Mollusca recently added to the fauna of the New England coast and the adjacent parts of the Atlantic, consisting mostly of deep-sea species with notes on others previously recorded. Transactions of the Connecticut Academy, 6(2): 395-452.
About This Page


National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D. C. , USA


University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA

Page: Tree of Life Grimpoteuthis plena (Verrill, 1885). Authored by Michael Vecchione and Richard E. Young. The TEXT of this page is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License - Version 3.0. Note that images and other media featured on this page are each governed by their own license, and they may or may not be available for reuse. Click on an image or a media link to access the media data window, which provides the relevant licensing information. For the general terms and conditions of ToL material reuse and redistribution, please see the Tree of Life Copyright Policies.

Citing this page:

Vecchione, Michael and Richard E. Young. 2003. Grimpoteuthis plena (Verrill, 1885). Version 13 May 2003 (under construction). http://tolweb.org/Grimpoteuthis_plena/20127/2003.05.13 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/

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