148
MALUOLM R. CLAREE
Smith, 1963). A large squid identified from a description as this
species was seen off south India (Baccialon, 1919). Some specimens
were obtained after becoming stranded (Verrill, 1876; Thompson, 1900;
Sasaki, 1929a; Smith, 1963). Many others were collected from the
stomachs of Sperm whales (Pike, 1960; Okutani and Nemoto, 19641,
while some have been caught with nets (Sasaki, 1929a; smith, 1963;
Pearcy, 1965) and one specimen was taken by a Scuba diver (Phillips,
1961). From the evidence of captures with open nets it appears that
the species occurs near the bottom at about 350-550 m off California
(Phillips, 1961; Smith, 1963) and may extend to near the surface as
suggested by the diver’s capture, strandings and by its capture in a
fixed net (Sasaki, 1929a). Its occurrence in Sperm whales’ stomachs near
the Aleutian Islands was accompanied by stones so that the whales
had apparently been feeding on the bottom at least at some time.
These are large squids, the largest recorded having a mantle length of
over 2 m (91.5 in, Verrill, 1876).
The ovary may be up to 2 5 . 0 ~ 2 0 - 0 ~ 1 4 . 0
cm in size and the
nidamental gland 40.0 x 8.0 cm. which suggests that a very large egg
mass is laid (Sasaki, 1929a). Ova measure 1.0 x 0.76 mm. No hectocotylus has been described.
The food of Californian specimens was found to include Velella
velella, a surface form, and Brisaster townsendi, a bottom living heart
urchin (Smith, 1963).
They are important in the diet of Sperm whales (Pike, 1960;
Beteshava and Akimushkin, 1955; Okutani and Nemoto, 1964).
Attempts to prepare them for food in California failed because they
proved unpalatable (Smith, 1963).
C . Ancistroteuthis
1 . Ancistroteuthis lichtensteini (d’orbigny, 1839)
Onychoteuthis Lichtensteinii (d’orbigny, 1839)
A rare species of the Western Mediterranean recorded from Nice
(d’orbigny, 1835-48, 1845; Vbrany, 1851; Risso, 1854; TargioniTozzetti, 1869; Joubin, 1893a; Pfeffer, 1912), off the Spanish coast
(Lozano e Rey, 1905; Hidalgo, 1916; Morales, 1958, 1962), off Corsica
(Joubin, 1900), off Naples (Naef, 1923; Jatta, 1896*; Targioni-Tozzetti,
1869), Capri (Jatta, 1896*), Messina (Targioni-Tozzetti, 1869; Pfeffer,
1912; Troschel, 1857), Ischia (Jatta, 1896*), Genoa (Targioni-Tozzetti,
1869) and off Algeria (Aucapitaine, 1863). Outside the Mediterranean,
* Some of the text and figures refer to Onychoteuthis banksi aa pointed out by Pfeffer,
1912.
MALUOLM R. CLAREE
Smith, 1963). A large squid identified from a description as this
species was seen off south India (Baccialon, 1919). Some specimens
were obtained after becoming stranded (Verrill, 1876; Thompson, 1900;
Sasaki, 1929a; Smith, 1963). Many others were collected from the
stomachs of Sperm whales (Pike, 1960; Okutani and Nemoto, 19641,
while some have been caught with nets (Sasaki, 1929a; smith, 1963;
Pearcy, 1965) and one specimen was taken by a Scuba diver (Phillips,
1961). From the evidence of captures with open nets it appears that
the species occurs near the bottom at about 350-550 m off California
(Phillips, 1961; Smith, 1963) and may extend to near the surface as
suggested by the diver’s capture, strandings and by its capture in a
fixed net (Sasaki, 1929a). Its occurrence in Sperm whales’ stomachs near
the Aleutian Islands was accompanied by stones so that the whales
had apparently been feeding on the bottom at least at some time.
These are large squids, the largest recorded having a mantle length of
over 2 m (91.5 in, Verrill, 1876).
The ovary may be up to 2 5 . 0 ~ 2 0 - 0 ~ 1 4 . 0
cm in size and the
nidamental gland 40.0 x 8.0 cm. which suggests that a very large egg
mass is laid (Sasaki, 1929a). Ova measure 1.0 x 0.76 mm. No hectocotylus has been described.
The food of Californian specimens was found to include Velella
velella, a surface form, and Brisaster townsendi, a bottom living heart
urchin (Smith, 1963).
They are important in the diet of Sperm whales (Pike, 1960;
Beteshava and Akimushkin, 1955; Okutani and Nemoto, 1964).
Attempts to prepare them for food in California failed because they
proved unpalatable (Smith, 1963).
C . Ancistroteuthis
1 . Ancistroteuthis lichtensteini (d’orbigny, 1839)
Onychoteuthis Lichtensteinii (d’orbigny, 1839)
A rare species of the Western Mediterranean recorded from Nice
(d’orbigny, 1835-48, 1845; Vbrany, 1851; Risso, 1854; TargioniTozzetti, 1869; Joubin, 1893a; Pfeffer, 1912), off the Spanish coast
(Lozano e Rey, 1905; Hidalgo, 1916; Morales, 1958, 1962), off Corsica
(Joubin, 1900), off Naples (Naef, 1923; Jatta, 1896*; Targioni-Tozzetti,
1869), Capri (Jatta, 1896*), Messina (Targioni-Tozzetti, 1869; Pfeffer,
1912; Troschel, 1857), Ischia (Jatta, 1896*), Genoa (Targioni-Tozzetti,
1869) and off Algeria (Aucapitaine, 1863). Outside the Mediterranean,
* Some of the text and figures refer to Onychoteuthis banksi aa pointed out by Pfeffer,
1912.