Grimpoteuthis pacifica (Hoyle 1885)

Introduction

Grimpoteuthis pacifica was described from a single, mutilated animal with only portions of the body remaining. As a result, only an incomplete description has been made and some species cannot be clearly separated from it. Descriptions of new specimens from the type locality are badly needed.

Characteristics

1. Arms and web
   1. Arms each with 52 small suckers, largest opposite ventral attachment of web to arm.
   2. Proximal 6 suckers "stand together;" suckers further apart halfway along arms.
   3. Web attaches to arm dorsally nearly at tip; web attaches to arm ventrally at just over half the arm length.
   4. Single web nodules present. Shaped as nodule not elongate.
   

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   Figure. Ventral attachment of the web to an arm of G. pacifica showing a web nodule. Drawing from Hoyle, 1886.

   5. Suckers with faint radial markings.
   6. Cirri begin between suckers 6 and 8.
   

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   Figure. Oral view of arms and web of G. pacifica. Drawing from Hoyle, 1886.

2. Eyes
   1. Large. Occupy all available space between fins and arms.
      
      
3. Gills
   1. "Spheroidal nodule with meridional grooves." (Presumably this is a half-orange shape.)
      
      
4. Beaks
   1. Illustrated but not described.
   

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   Figure. Lateral view of lower (left) and upper (right) beaks of G. pacifica. Drawing from Hoyle, 1886.

5. Shell
   1. Wing bears long, grooved outer surface. Only the wing was exposed and described.
      
      
6. Pigmentation
   1. "Deep purplish madder, paler outside the umbrella and on the fin."
7. Measurements
   • Fin width - 15 mm.
   • Fin length - 55 mm.
   • Largest sucker diameter - 2.5 mm.
   • Longest cirrus length - 5 mm.
   • Arm I length: Right, Left - 170 mm, 145 mm.
   • Arm II length: Right, Left - 140 mm, 155 mm.
   • Arm III length: Right, Left - 130 mm, 140 mm.
   • Arm IV length: Right, Left - 150 mm, 135 mm.

Comments

The above description was taken from Hoyle (1886).

Among Pacific species, G. pacifica differs from:

• G. abyssicola in having fewer suckers (52 vs 77).
• G. bathynectes possibly by longer cirri (2x vs 1.1x in males, 1.3x in females) and the position of the first cirrus (between suckers 6-8 vs suckers 3-4).
• G. hippocrepium by no clear characters other than locality.
• G. innominata in having longer cirri (2x vs 1x).
• G. meangensis in having fewer suckers (52 vs 67-70).
• G. tuftsi in having fewer suckers (52 vs 63-75).

Distribution

The type locality is off south-eastern Papua, New Guinea, South Pacific at 13°50'S, 151°49'E. The type specimen was captured in a tow that fished to 4500 m.

References

Hoyle, W. E. 1886. Report on the Cephalopoda Collected by H.M.S. Challenger during the Years 1873-76. Report of the Voyage of the Challenger, Zoology, 16 (44): 1-346, 33 pls.