REVIEW OF THE SYSTEMA!LTCS AND ECOLOGY OF OOEANIC SQUIDS 205
The largest recorded specimen has a mantle length of 9.1 cm, is female
and has ova which are 0.11 x0-15 mm in size (Morales, 1958) while
another specimen with a mantle length of only 4.2 cm was considered
adult by Joubin (1924).
Ficalbi (1899) first suggested that Doratopsis vermicularis is the
young form of Chiroteuthis veranyi and this has since become accepted
after some controversy (Pfeffer, 1900, 1912; Jatta, 1903; Chun, 1910a;
Issel, 1920a, 1930; Minelli, 1921).
During growth from the very curious '' Doratopsis " stage the
arms and tentacles become relatively longer, the head becomes relatively shorter, the body relatively wider and the fin relatively wider but
remains about the same length. Shortening of the head is due to the
progressive loss of a post-orbital " neck ". While larvae often have a
very long tail extending beyond the fin, which is probably always
present before capture, the adults have lost this (Fig. 41).
The species has been taken from stomechs of dolphins (Joubin,
1894c, 1900b) and Germo alalunga (Bouxin and Legendre, 1936) and,
if Akimushkin's ( 1954a, 1955a) identifications are correct, also from
Sperm whales.
C. Echinoteuthis
1. Echinoteuthis danae Joubin, 1933
The type specimens were taken in the North Atlantic at 34' 40"
33'16'W, 16' 03"
62'29'W, 30' 57"
21'00'W, off Bermuda and the
Cape Verde Islands and the species has not since been recorded.
The species was taken in open nets fished to as little as 60 m and as
deep as 2 680 m. The largest measured, had a total length of 4.5 cm
while another had a mantle length of 2.5 cm.
D. Entomopsis
The status of the species referred to this genus is doubtful. E. velaini
Rochebrune, 1884 is probably a young Brachioteuthis sp. The relationship of E . clouei Rochebrune, 1884 cannot be determined from the
type description.
1. Entomopsis alicei Joubin, 1900
This species was recovered from three localities in the North Atlantic: 41' 40"
15'15'W, 46' 22"
ll'l8'W and 44' 30"
10'30'W (Joubin,
1900) and no further specimens have been described. They were all
taken from stomachs of tuna caught at the surface and the largest
has a mantle length of 3-0 cm.
The largest recorded specimen has a mantle length of 9.1 cm, is female
and has ova which are 0.11 x0-15 mm in size (Morales, 1958) while
another specimen with a mantle length of only 4.2 cm was considered
adult by Joubin (1924).
Ficalbi (1899) first suggested that Doratopsis vermicularis is the
young form of Chiroteuthis veranyi and this has since become accepted
after some controversy (Pfeffer, 1900, 1912; Jatta, 1903; Chun, 1910a;
Issel, 1920a, 1930; Minelli, 1921).
During growth from the very curious '' Doratopsis " stage the
arms and tentacles become relatively longer, the head becomes relatively shorter, the body relatively wider and the fin relatively wider but
remains about the same length. Shortening of the head is due to the
progressive loss of a post-orbital " neck ". While larvae often have a
very long tail extending beyond the fin, which is probably always
present before capture, the adults have lost this (Fig. 41).
The species has been taken from stomechs of dolphins (Joubin,
1894c, 1900b) and Germo alalunga (Bouxin and Legendre, 1936) and,
if Akimushkin's ( 1954a, 1955a) identifications are correct, also from
Sperm whales.
C. Echinoteuthis
1. Echinoteuthis danae Joubin, 1933
The type specimens were taken in the North Atlantic at 34' 40"
33'16'W, 16' 03"
62'29'W, 30' 57"
21'00'W, off Bermuda and the
Cape Verde Islands and the species has not since been recorded.
The species was taken in open nets fished to as little as 60 m and as
deep as 2 680 m. The largest measured, had a total length of 4.5 cm
while another had a mantle length of 2.5 cm.
D. Entomopsis
The status of the species referred to this genus is doubtful. E. velaini
Rochebrune, 1884 is probably a young Brachioteuthis sp. The relationship of E . clouei Rochebrune, 1884 cannot be determined from the
type description.
1. Entomopsis alicei Joubin, 1900
This species was recovered from three localities in the North Atlantic: 41' 40"
15'15'W, 46' 22"
ll'l8'W and 44' 30"
10'30'W (Joubin,
1900) and no further specimens have been described. They were all
taken from stomachs of tuna caught at the surface and the largest
has a mantle length of 3-0 cm.