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Notonykia africanae Nesis, Roeleveld & Nikitina 1998

K.S.R. Bolstad, Michael Vecchione, Richard E. Young, and Kotaro Tsuchiya
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This is the type species of this genus.
Containing group: Notonykia

Introduction

Notonykia africanae is known from a maximum size of 177 mm ML, but mature squid are unknown.  It occurs in the southern Pacific and Atlantic Oceans off South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

Characteristics

  1. Tentacles
    1. Tentacle length ~70% ML
    2. Carpus with 10-12 suckers
    3. Largest ventral hooks robust, 'C'-shaped to nearly semicircular in lateral profile

      Figure.  Oral view, left tentacle club of Notonykia africanae, 177 mm ML. Photograph by K. Bolstad. 

      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.  Ventral view, left tentacle club of Notonykia africanae, 177 mm ML. Photograph by K. Bolstad. 
  2. Head
    1. Beaks: Descriptions can be found here: Lower beak; upper beak.

Comments

Except for the photographs, this description is from Nesis et al. (1998) and Bolstad (2007).

Additional features of the description can be found here.

Life History

At 18 mm ML the gladius in Notonykia africanae is visible dorsally only between the fins; the rostrum of the gladius, in contrast to species of Onychoteuthis, is not needle-like and does not appear to pierce the skin. Positive identification of juveniles depends on the appearance of occipital folds. Only three occipital folds are visible by 18 mm ML. These data are from Nesis et al., 1998.

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

Figure. Apparent growth stages of N. africanae. A, B - Dorsal views of squid of 9.5 (A) and 14.5 mm ML (B); these paralarvae are only assumed to be N. africanae. C, D - Ventral and dorsal views, paratype, 73 mm ML. Scale bar is 5 mm for Figs. A and B, 1 cm for Fig. D. Drawings modified from Nesis, et al. (1998).

Distribution

Notonykia africanae is thought to be circumpolar in the subantarctic region between 30° - 53°S (Nesis, et al., 1998).

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. Distribution chart of N. africanae. The map includes the location of the type series and literature records from Nesis et al. (1998). Chart modified from Nesis (1998).

References

Nesis, K. N., M. A. C. Roeleveld and I. V. Nikitina. 1998. A new genus and species of onychoteuthid squid from the Southern Ocean. Ruthenica 8:153-168.

Bolstad, K.S. 2007. Systematics and distribution of the New Zealand onychoteuthid fauna (Cephalopoda: Oegopsida), including a new species, Notonykia nesisi sp. nov. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries 17:305-335.

Title Illustrations
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
Scientific Name Notonykia africanae
Reference Nesis, K. N., M. A. C. Roeleveld and I. V. Nikitina. 1998. A new genus and species of onychoteuthid squid from the Southern Ocean. Ruthenica 8:153-168.
Sex Female
Size 125 mm ML
Type Holotype
Copyright © Ruthenica
About This Page

K.S.R. Bolstad
Auckland University of Technology


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


University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA


Tokyo University of Fisheries, Tokyo, Japan

Correspondence regarding this page should be directed to K.S.R. Bolstad at

All Rights Reserved.

Citing this page:

Bolstad, K.S.R., Michael Vecchione, Richard E. Young, and Kotaro Tsuchiya. 2007. Notonykia africanae Nesis, Roeleveld & Nikitina 1998. Version 09 July 2007 (under construction). http://tolweb.org/Notonykia_africanae/19954/2007.07.09 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/

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