118
MALCOLM R. CLARKE
terized by prominent photopliores on the ventral mantle (19 in the adult
--Voss,
195413). These are obvious in quite small specimens (Clarke
unpublished). A female with a mantle length of only 5.3 cm was gravid
(Voss, 1954b) and the largest specimen known has a mantle length of
7.1 cm (Sasaki, 1929a).
The species was collected from stomachs of Anous tm7Lirosfris (Black
Noddy) a t Ascension Island (Stonehouse. 1962).
E. Ornithoteuthis
This genus contains two very rare species.
1. Ornithoteuthis volatilis (Sasaki, 1915)
Ommastrephes oolatilis Sasaki, 1915b
This species has been recorded from Japan (Sasaki, 1915b, 1929a;
Okada. 1927). It sometimes jumps above the sea and is known as a
" flying squid " by fishermen (Sasaki, 1929a).
The largest male apparently has a mantle length of 31.3 cm and the
largest female 20.8 cm (Sasaki, 1929a but there is a slight confusion in
the text).
' 2. Ornithoteuthis antillaruni (Adam, 1957)
Orn ithoteuthis volatilis antillarum Adam, 1957
A species recorded from the tropical west Atlantic (Adam, 1957;
Voss, 1957), West Africa (Adam, 1962) and off Morocco (Rancurel,
1964). It has only been caught near the surface.
The largest male has a mantle length of 14.1 cm and the largest
female a mantle length of 10.3 cm. The right ventral arm is hectocotylized and there is some sexual dimorphism in the dentition of the arm
suckers and the foveola in the funnel groove (Voss, 1957).
A stomach contained several Abralia with mantle lengths of 3-0 cm,
a caridean shrimp and fish scales (Voss, 1957).
One of the specimens was found in the stomach of Tursiops truncatus
(Rancurel, 1964).
F. Illex
There is some confusion between Illex illecebrosus and Illex coindeti
and they have both been considered geographical forms of the same
species by some authors (e.g. Pfeffer, 1912; Adam, 1939c). I . illecebrosus
is the western North Atlantic form and I . coindeti the Mediterranean
form but the confusion arises when examples from the North Sea and
British Isles are examined (see below).
MALCOLM R. CLARKE
terized by prominent photopliores on the ventral mantle (19 in the adult
--Voss,
195413). These are obvious in quite small specimens (Clarke
unpublished). A female with a mantle length of only 5.3 cm was gravid
(Voss, 1954b) and the largest specimen known has a mantle length of
7.1 cm (Sasaki, 1929a).
The species was collected from stomachs of Anous tm7Lirosfris (Black
Noddy) a t Ascension Island (Stonehouse. 1962).
E. Ornithoteuthis
This genus contains two very rare species.
1. Ornithoteuthis volatilis (Sasaki, 1915)
Ommastrephes oolatilis Sasaki, 1915b
This species has been recorded from Japan (Sasaki, 1915b, 1929a;
Okada. 1927). It sometimes jumps above the sea and is known as a
" flying squid " by fishermen (Sasaki, 1929a).
The largest male apparently has a mantle length of 31.3 cm and the
largest female 20.8 cm (Sasaki, 1929a but there is a slight confusion in
the text).
' 2. Ornithoteuthis antillaruni (Adam, 1957)
Orn ithoteuthis volatilis antillarum Adam, 1957
A species recorded from the tropical west Atlantic (Adam, 1957;
Voss, 1957), West Africa (Adam, 1962) and off Morocco (Rancurel,
1964). It has only been caught near the surface.
The largest male has a mantle length of 14.1 cm and the largest
female a mantle length of 10.3 cm. The right ventral arm is hectocotylized and there is some sexual dimorphism in the dentition of the arm
suckers and the foveola in the funnel groove (Voss, 1957).
A stomach contained several Abralia with mantle lengths of 3-0 cm,
a caridean shrimp and fish scales (Voss, 1957).
One of the specimens was found in the stomach of Tursiops truncatus
(Rancurel, 1964).
F. Illex
There is some confusion between Illex illecebrosus and Illex coindeti
and they have both been considered geographical forms of the same
species by some authors (e.g. Pfeffer, 1912; Adam, 1939c). I . illecebrosus
is the western North Atlantic form and I . coindeti the Mediterranean
form but the confusion arises when examples from the North Sea and
British Isles are examined (see below).