Grimpoteuthis abyssicola | |
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Scientific classification
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Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Cephalopoda |
Order: | Octopoda |
Family: | Grimpoteuthidae |
Genus: | Grimpoteuthis |
Species: | G. abyssicola
|
Binomial name | |
Grimpoteuthis abyssicola |
Grimpoteuthis abyssicola, commonly known as the red jellyhead, [3] is a species of small deep-sea octopus known from two specimens. The holotype specimen was a female collected on the Lord Howe Rise (central Tasman Sea off New Zealand), between 3154 and 3180 meters depth. [4] [5] [2] A second specimen (a male) was collected on the continental slope of south-eastern Australia between 2821 and 2687 m depth. [6]
The octopus has very delicate tissues, making it susceptible to damage by trawling nets. The arms and web are a deep maroon colour, while the body and head are nearly transparent. [3]
The female type specimen had a mantle about 75 millimeters long, while its total body reached 305 millimeters long (the male specimen had a longer mantle length at 99 mm, but a shorter total length of 245 mm). [4] [6] G. abyssicola's internal shell is U-shaped, lacking any lateral prominences/shoulders, and with the ends of shell rounded, this shell shape is distinctive from other Grimpoteuthis (with the possible exception of Grimpoteuthis hippocrepium). [6] [5] This species can also be distinguished from other members of Grimpoteuthis due to the absence of both a radula and posterior salivary glands, how many suckers it has (up to 74 or 77 per arm on the known specimens), and where the arm cirri commence. [5] [6] On the holotype the first 6-8 suckers on each arm are small, then larger up to sucker 30-35, followed this are a further 30-35 suckers rapidly decreasing in size to the arm tip. [4] [5]
Present records of this species are too few to assess its conservation status (but it is likely not threatened given its abyssal distribution). [1]
Grimpoteuthis abyssicola | |
---|---|
Scientific classification
![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Cephalopoda |
Order: | Octopoda |
Family: | Grimpoteuthidae |
Genus: | Grimpoteuthis |
Species: | G. abyssicola
|
Binomial name | |
Grimpoteuthis abyssicola |
Grimpoteuthis abyssicola, commonly known as the red jellyhead, [3] is a species of small deep-sea octopus known from two specimens. The holotype specimen was a female collected on the Lord Howe Rise (central Tasman Sea off New Zealand), between 3154 and 3180 meters depth. [4] [5] [2] A second specimen (a male) was collected on the continental slope of south-eastern Australia between 2821 and 2687 m depth. [6]
The octopus has very delicate tissues, making it susceptible to damage by trawling nets. The arms and web are a deep maroon colour, while the body and head are nearly transparent. [3]
The female type specimen had a mantle about 75 millimeters long, while its total body reached 305 millimeters long (the male specimen had a longer mantle length at 99 mm, but a shorter total length of 245 mm). [4] [6] G. abyssicola's internal shell is U-shaped, lacking any lateral prominences/shoulders, and with the ends of shell rounded, this shell shape is distinctive from other Grimpoteuthis (with the possible exception of Grimpoteuthis hippocrepium). [6] [5] This species can also be distinguished from other members of Grimpoteuthis due to the absence of both a radula and posterior salivary glands, how many suckers it has (up to 74 or 77 per arm on the known specimens), and where the arm cirri commence. [5] [6] On the holotype the first 6-8 suckers on each arm are small, then larger up to sucker 30-35, followed this are a further 30-35 suckers rapidly decreasing in size to the arm tip. [4] [5]
Present records of this species are too few to assess its conservation status (but it is likely not threatened given its abyssal distribution). [1]