Family NEOTEUTHIDAE

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Family NEOTEUTHIDAE

Compiler and date details

C.C. Lu, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan

Introduction

Members of the family Neoteuthidae Naef, 1921 are small to medium sized oceanic squid, with a conical mantle and large head and, laterally, fringe fins or kidney-shaped fins without anterior lobes. Two genera, Alluroteuthis and Neoteuthis are included in the family. Alluroteuthis with its sole species A. antarctica Odhner, 1923 is known only from Antarctic waters while several species of Neoteuthis are known from the tropical and subtropical waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans (Roper et al. 1969; Young 1972; Nesis 1987). In Australian Antarctic waters only one species is known, Alluroteuthis antarctica, from the waters of Prydz Bay (Lu & Williams 1994).

Very little has been published on Alluroteuthis antarctica. Recent data from Prydz Bay indicated that the species does not exhibit a diel vertical migration or ontogenetic descent (Lu & Williams 1994). The food of the species includes the squid Psychroteuthis glacialis and the fish Pleuragramma antarcticum (Lu & Williams 1994). Predators of this species include many species of Antarctic seabirds (Croxall & Prince 1996) and Ross and Weddell Seals (Klages 1996).

Diagnosis

Neoteuthids are medium and small squids with mantle conical and head large. The fins lack anterior 'earlets', are kidney-shaped, or inversely heart-shaped (narrow anteriorly and wide posteriorly, with incision on posterior edge) or in the form of a lateral fringe. There are 2 rows of suckers on all arms. In adult Alluroteuthis the suckers on the 1st to 3rd arms are modified to form hooks. Suckers on the 4th arms are much smaller than on the 1st–3rd arms. The proximal part of the tentacular club bears a large number of small suckers arranged in more than 10 rows; in the central part of the club there are 4 rows of large suckers of equal or different size, while on the distal end are 3–4 rows of gradually smaller suckers. The funnel locking cartilage is simple, straight, and the buccal connectives attach to the dorsal borders of the ventral arms. Photophores are absent.