Note

Opisthoteuthis californiana: Description Continued

Richard E. Young and Michael Vecchione
  1. Arms
    Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window
    Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window

    Figure. Oral view of mouth region of O. californiana with small suckers around the mouth and the enlarged suckers more distally, male, arm span ca. 435 mm. Photograph from Berry, 1955.


    Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window
    Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window

    Figure. Oral view of the distal regions of arms I of the same O. californiana showing enlarged suckers of the distal field. Photograph from Berry, 1955.

  2. Eyes
    1. Very large.

  3. Funnel
    1. Funnel organ with 2 oval pads (Taki, 1963).
    2. Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window
      Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window

      Figure. Funnel opened showing funnel organ of O. californiana. Drawing from Taki, 1963.

  4. Fins
    1. Length about 3 times width (Taki, 1963).

  5. Gills
    1. 7 primary lamellae (Taki).

  6. Optic lobes and nerves
    1. Not known.

  7. Digestive tract
    1. Not known.

  8. Beaks
    Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window
    Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window

    Figure. Lower (left) and Upper (right) beaks of O. californiana. Drawings from Taki, 1963.

  9. Male reproductive system
    1. Not known.

  10. Female reproductive system
    1. Not known.

  11. Shell
    1. Flat, rod-like; groove on outer surface of saddle (Taki).
    2. Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window
      Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window

      Figure. Shell and fin of O. californiana, dorsal view and cross-section through saddle. Drawing from Taki, 1963.

  12. Pigmentation
    1. Aboral surface dull brownish-grey with concentrically streaked, dull, dark reddish-brown (streaks may be a artifact from damage).
    2. Areolae have not been detected.
    3. Oral surface uniform purplish-grey field broken by lighter suckers and cirri and still paler central portions of the arms.
    4. Japan: Aboral surface oxblood red, eyeball dull blue-violet; oral surface same color as aboral surface but darker, arms and suckers cameo pink.
    5. Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window
      Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window

      Figure. Oral view of arms II and III of O. californiana, holotype, female, showing light color near suckers. Photograph from Berry, 1952.

  13. Measurements
    1. Measurements and counts can be found here.

References

Berry, S. S. 1952. The flapjack devil fish, Opisthoteuthis, in California. Calif. Fish and Game, 38: 183-188.

Berry, S. S. 1955. The male flapjack devilfish. California. Calif. Fish and Game, 41: 219-224.

Taki, I. 1963. On four newly known species of Octopoda from Japan. J. Fac. Fish. Anim. Husb., Hiroshima Univ., 5: 57-93.

About This Page


University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA


National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D. C. , USA

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