Some species, at least, of Galiteuthis reach a large size of 660 mm ML (Nesis, 1982, suggests that they may reach a size of 2.7 m ML). Species are easily recognized by the hooks on the tentacular clubs while lacking hooks on the arms, and the long, slender, terminal fins.
A taoniin ...
- with club armature mostly in two series and consisting of large hooks.
- with long, lanceolate, terminal fins.
A taoniin ...
- with club armature mostly in two series and consisting of large hooks.
- with long, lanceolate, terminal fins.
Members of this genus are found circumglobally in all oceans except the Arctic Ocean (Nesis, 1982).
- Tentacles
- Tentacular clubs with large hooks.*
- Clubs with equally developed dorsal and ventral protective membranes; club keels absent.
- Two series of suckers and pads on distal 2/3 to 3/4 of tentacular stalk.
Figure. Oral view of tentacular club of G. phyllura, 359 mm ML. Drawing from Young (1972).
- Funnel
- Funnel valve absent.
- Funnel organ: Dorsal pad with three flattened papillae.
- Mantle
- Tubercles present or absent at the funnel-mantle fusion depending on species.
- Fins
- Fins lanceolate, terminal; anterior insertion on shell sac.
- Photophores
- Two ocular photophores: Medial photophore with crescent-shaped photogenetic region; Lateral photophore with short, slightly curved photogenetic region that lies within the concavity of the first.
- Arm tip photophores absent.
Figure. Lateral (left) and ventral (right) views of ocular photophores of G. glacialis, 333 mm ML. Drawing from Voss (1980, p. 393).
*Unusual within family, shared only with Mesonychoteuthis (but see condition in Taonius).
Comments
The distinctive hooks of the tentacular clubs first appear at 35-60 mm ML (Voss, et al., 1992). Characteristics are from Voss (1980).
- Nesis, K. N. 1982/87. Abridged key to the cephalopod mollusks of the world's ocean. 385+ii pp. Light and Food Industry Publishing House, Moscow. (In Russian.). Translated into English by B. S. Levitov, ed. by L. A. Burgess (1987), Cephalopods of the world. T. F. H. Publications, Neptune City, NJ, 351pp.
- Voss, N. A. 1980. A generic revision of the Cranchiidae (Cephalopoda; Oegopsida). Bull. Mar. Sci., 30: 365-412.
- Voss N. A., S. J. Stephen and Zh. Dong 1992. Family Cranchiidae Prosch, 1849. Smithson. Contr. Zool., 513: 187-210.
- Young, R. E. 1972. The systematics and areal distribution of pelagic cephalopods from the seas off Southern California. Smithson. Contr. Zool., 97: 1-159.
- Young, Richard E. and Katharina M. Mangold (1922-2003). 2011. Galiteuthis Joubin, 1898 . Version 22 November 2011 (under construction). http://tolweb.org/Galiteuthis/19557/2011.11.22 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/