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Enigmocranchia nipponica

Described by Kubodera & Okutani, 2014

Page authors: Aaron Boyd Evans

The genus Enigmocranchia (Kubodera & Okutani, 2014) contains a single known species, E. nipponica, from Japanese waters. The mantle is covered in round cutaneous tubercles, two cartilaginous lines originate from the ventral mantle fusion points on either side of the funnel forming a “V” shape; however, no tubercles are located at the funnel-mantle fusion point.  Other distinguishing features include circular fins and circular ocular photophores on each eye (a characteristic shared among the Cranchiinae). 

Tentacles

  • Suckers in a transverse row on club manus of equal size.
  • Single row of suckers on distal tentacular stalk

Arms

  • Females with large, darkened, leaf-shaped end organs on all arms. 

Photophores

  • Sessile eyes contain ~14 circular photophores on the ventral surface of the eye set in two rows (8-9 inner row, 6-7 outer row). 

Mantle

  • Mantle is rotund and covered with rounded cutaneous tubercles.

Fins

  • Fins squared-ovular, lobes uniting at end of gladius. 

All three known specimens were caught in the southern Sea of Japan in the same locality between 2002 - 2004 (Kubodera & Okutani, 2014). 

not known – all specimens are near-mature females. 

Nomenclature

This generic name was inspired by its enigmatic appearance amongst the Cranchiinae, with notable similarities to the genus Cranchia.

Kubodera T. & Okutani T. (2014). An unusual squid from the Sea of Japan, Enigmocranchia nipponica, new genus and new species (Cephalopoda: Decembrachiata: Cranchiidae). National Museum of Nature and Science Monographs, 44: 149-156.

Taxonomy

Superorder
Decapodiformes
Superfamily
Cranchioidea
Subfamily
Taoniinae