186
MALCOLM R. CLARKE
H . Wataeenia
This genus is very close to Abraliopsis.
1. Watasenia scinti2Zans (Berry, 191 1)
Abraliopsie scintillans Berry, 1911b
Abraliopsis joubini Watas6, 1905
Abraliopsis sp. Nishikawa, 1906
Abralia (Nepioteuthion) Nishikawa Pfeffer, 1912
Abraliu (Compsoteuthis) Nishikawae Pfeffer, 1912
This is common around Japan (Watasb, 1905; Berry, 1911b, 1913d;
Sasaki, 1920, 1929a; Okada, 1927; Shimomura and Fukataki, 1967)
and has been recorded off Cape Clonard, Korea (Sasaki, 1929a), in the
Okhotsk Sea (Sasaki, 1914) and in the North Pacific (Nemoto, 1967).
It is a shoaling species and fishermen sometimes catch up to 2 million
individuals in a single haul (WatasB, 1905 after Berry, 1913d). It is
taken at less than 1 000 m and to within about 150 m from the surface.
The largest recorded male is 5.9 cm (Berry, 1911b) and the largest
female is 7.0 cm in mantle length (Sasaki, 1929a). Males having
mantle lengths of 4.8 and 5.0 cm have hectocotylized right ventral
arms and females with mantle lengths more than 4.8 cm have mated
(Sasaki, 1920).
Matsuno (1915) and Sasaki (1913) studied different aspects of the
ecology of the species. Shimomura and Fukataki (1957) found that
squid eggs caught at the surface from March to August, which they
thought belonged to this species, appeared at the same time that
adults were in spawning condition, during the fishing season. These
eggs were found throughout the Japan Sea but mainly off Eastern
Korea and West Honshu. Their identification was not definitely
established. They occur in water a t 10°-270C and with a chlorinity of
17.5-19.3%,. Some larvae are also referred to this species on circumstantial grounds.
The species is sometimes found in the stomachs of Baleen whales
(Nemoto, 1957) and constitutes 8% by volume of the diet of the
Northern Pacific fur seal (Wilke and Kenyon, 1954). It is also eaten
by the Alaskan pollack (Teragra chulcogranzma) (Shimomura and
Fukataki, 1957).
From the end of April to the end of May the species is usually
taken commercially in Etchu Province, Japan (Sasaki, 1929a). The
catch fluctuates but is usually about 1000 tons and is used for food
or is salted for fish bait. On the southern side of Sagami bay the squid
is also abundant but here the individuals are smaller, slightly different
in proportion and have fewer photophores (Sasaki, 1929a).
MALCOLM R. CLARKE
H . Wataeenia
This genus is very close to Abraliopsis.
1. Watasenia scinti2Zans (Berry, 191 1)
Abraliopsie scintillans Berry, 1911b
Abraliopsis joubini Watas6, 1905
Abraliopsis sp. Nishikawa, 1906
Abralia (Nepioteuthion) Nishikawa Pfeffer, 1912
Abraliu (Compsoteuthis) Nishikawae Pfeffer, 1912
This is common around Japan (Watasb, 1905; Berry, 1911b, 1913d;
Sasaki, 1920, 1929a; Okada, 1927; Shimomura and Fukataki, 1967)
and has been recorded off Cape Clonard, Korea (Sasaki, 1929a), in the
Okhotsk Sea (Sasaki, 1914) and in the North Pacific (Nemoto, 1967).
It is a shoaling species and fishermen sometimes catch up to 2 million
individuals in a single haul (WatasB, 1905 after Berry, 1913d). It is
taken at less than 1 000 m and to within about 150 m from the surface.
The largest recorded male is 5.9 cm (Berry, 1911b) and the largest
female is 7.0 cm in mantle length (Sasaki, 1929a). Males having
mantle lengths of 4.8 and 5.0 cm have hectocotylized right ventral
arms and females with mantle lengths more than 4.8 cm have mated
(Sasaki, 1920).
Matsuno (1915) and Sasaki (1913) studied different aspects of the
ecology of the species. Shimomura and Fukataki (1957) found that
squid eggs caught at the surface from March to August, which they
thought belonged to this species, appeared at the same time that
adults were in spawning condition, during the fishing season. These
eggs were found throughout the Japan Sea but mainly off Eastern
Korea and West Honshu. Their identification was not definitely
established. They occur in water a t 10°-270C and with a chlorinity of
17.5-19.3%,. Some larvae are also referred to this species on circumstantial grounds.
The species is sometimes found in the stomachs of Baleen whales
(Nemoto, 1957) and constitutes 8% by volume of the diet of the
Northern Pacific fur seal (Wilke and Kenyon, 1954). It is also eaten
by the Alaskan pollack (Teragra chulcogranzma) (Shimomura and
Fukataki, 1957).
From the end of April to the end of May the species is usually
taken commercially in Etchu Province, Japan (Sasaki, 1929a). The
catch fluctuates but is usually about 1000 tons and is used for food
or is salted for fish bait. On the southern side of Sagami bay the squid
is also abundant but here the individuals are smaller, slightly different
in proportion and have fewer photophores (Sasaki, 1929a).