Discoteuthis discus

A Discoteuthis ...

• with a diagonal groove in the funnel locking-apparatus.
• with a photophore at the ventral tip of the mantle.

The type locality is off Ghana, West Africa (03 deg 50'M. 02 deg 37'W) in the tropical East Atlantic. This species is known from the tropical and subtropical Atlantic and the central North Pacific (M. Seki, pers. comm.)

1. Arms

1. 1. Arms weak, approximately subequal and 60-85% of ML.
   2. Large arm suckers with few low, broad, rounded teeth mostly on distal margin.
2. Tentacles
   1. Dactylus with suckers in four series throughout.
   2. Medial suckers on manus of club globular relative to D. laciniosa (inner ring height ca 60% of diameter compared to 35% of diameter).
   3. Largest club suckers with numerous low, flattened or rounded teeth around entire inner ring.
       
3. Head
   
   1. Beaks: Descriptions can be found here: Lower beak; upper beak.
      
      
4. Funnel
   1. Locking-apparatus with diagonally positioned groove
5. Mantle
   1. Free anterior margin of mantle smooth (i.e., flaps lacking).
      
      
6. Photophores
   1. At least 4 organs on margin of eyelid.
   2. One dark, round organ on ventral surface near posterior tip of mantle.
7. Gladius
   1. Conus absent.

The smallest known D. discus is 16 mm ML (Young and Roper, 1969). At this size, the fins are about 60% of the ML and reach 98% of the ML in squid of 45 mm ML. Mature individuals are not known.