Chtenopteryx canariensis

A Ctenopteryx ...

• without photophores.
• with club suckers in 16-20 series.
• with arm suckers in 8-14 series.

The type locality is 26°20'N, 19°21'W, Eastern Atlantic just south of the Canary Islands. Other localities: 12°16'N, 23°05'W, 0°20'N, 25°20'W. All specimens were caught in nets that fished to 1000 m.

1. Tentacles
   • Club with six suckers in transverse row at proximal end, 16-20 suckers at mid-club, then decreasing number of suckers toward tip.
     
     Figure. Oral view of the tentacular club of Chtenopteryx canariensis, holotype. Drawing from Salcedo-Vargas and Guerrero-Kommritz, 2000. Scale bar is 10 mm.
     
     
2. Photophores
   • Photophore absent from viscera.
   • Photophores absent from eyes.
     
     Figure. Ventral view of the mantle cavity of C. canarensis holotype. Note the absence of a visceral photophore. A - Funnel locking apparatus. B - Ink sac. C - Nephridiopore. D - Spermatophore sac (= Needham's sac). E - Gill. Drawing from Salcedo-Vargas and Guerrero-Kommritz (2000).
     
     
3. Arms
   • Arm formula: IV=II>I=III.
   • Arm IV 50% of ML.
   • Suckers of arms I-III in 2 series proximally and up to 8-10 series in mid-arm portion (photograph on right).
   • Arms II suckers in up to 12-14 series in distally portion. Figure. Scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the mid-region of arm I, paratype, immature female, 55 mm ML.
     
     
   • Inner sucker rings with 5-6 blunt, rounded teeth (photograph below, left).
   • Outer sucker rings with 3 concentric rings of polygonal plates surrounded by a ring of smaller and more narrow plates (photographs below).
     
     Figure. SEM of arm sucker, paratype, immature female, 55 mm ML.
     
     
     
     Figure. Same sucker, higher magnification. Bar = 10 microns.
     
     
4. Tentacular club
   • Club with six sucker in transverse row at proximal end, 16-20 suckers at mid-club, then decreasing number of suckers toward tip.
   • Club length 30% of ML.
   • Club slightly expanded.
     
     Figure. Oral view of middle region of club, SEM, 55 mm ML. Bar = 300 microns.
     
     
   • Inner sucker ring with about 9 blunt, rounded teeth.
   • Outer ring with two concentric rings composed of elongate polygonal plates.  
     
     
     Figure. Oral view of club sucker, 55 mm ML; bar = 30 microns.
     
     
     Figure. Same club sucker, enlarged; bar = 10 microns.
     
     
5. Buccal crown
   • 16-18 suckers, in 2-3 series, on each buccal support.
6. Mantle
   • Width 43% of ML.
7. Occipital region
   • Occipital crest prominent.
   • 3 occipital folds present.
   • Olfactory organ at base of Occipital fold I.
8. Fins
   • Fin length about 97% of lateral ML at 12 mm ML and 99% at larger sizes.
   • Width across fins and mantle about 95% of ML.
   • Length of longest fin ribs: 31-40% of ML.
   • Each fin with 28 muscular ribs.
     
     
     Figure. Dorsal view of fins and mantle, holotype.
     
     
9. Gladius
   • Free rhachis 44% of ML.
   • Gladius with broad conus.
     
     Figure. Ventral view of gladius of holotype. Scale bar is 10 mm.
10. Spermatophore
    • Drawing is a spermatophore of the holotype and an enlargement of the ejaculatory apparatus.
      

Measurements

Table of measurements modified from Salcedo-Vargas and Guerrero- Kommritz, 2000. 

Most illustrations are from Salcedo-Vargas and Guerrero-Kommritz, 2000. The photographs showing portions of the arm and club suckers are slightly different from photographs seen in the type description. Photographs were taken by M. A. Salcedo-Vargas.

• Dark combfin squid