Note

Cirrothauma murrayi Description Continued

Richard E. Young and Michael Vecchione
  1. Digestive system
    1. Digestive tract lies in a single plane (i.e., no loops or lateral bends of the intestine).
    2. Obvious crop absent.
    3. Caecum exhibits no spiraling.
    4. Esophagus and dorsal side of stomach with heavy purple pigment; intestine unpigmented.
    5. Reduced radula present.
    6. 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. Digestive system of C. murrayi. Drawing modified from Aldred et al., 1983.

      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. Longitudinal section through the buccal mass of C. murrayi. Unlike the situation in incirrate octopods, the anterior salivary glands are embedded within the buccal mass and the posterior salivary gland (only a single one is present) instead of lying posterior to the cephalic cartilage, rest on and is partially embedded in the buccal mass. Drawing modified from Aldred et al., 1983.

  2. Female reproductive system
    1. Largest egg found in the oviducts was 14 x 8.9 mm.
    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. Female reproductive system of C. murrayi, 560 mm TL. Drawing modified from Aldred et al., 1983.

  3. Male reproductive system
    1. Spermatophore glands highly convoluted.
    2. Accessory glands form a compact unit.
    3. Penis small.
    4. 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. Male reproductive system of C. murrayi, 660 mm TL. Drawing modified from Aldred et al., 1983.

  4. Shell
    1. The butterfly-shaped shell is drawn from a dorsal view (left). The position of the shell in the octopod is indicated in the dorsal view drawn (right) of the head, body and fins in which the dorsal margins of the saddle and wings can be seen (colored red).
    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. The shell of C. murrayi, 660 mm TL, male. Left - Dorsal view of shell. Right - Dorsal view of head, body and arm bases. The red lines approximately mark the dorsal-most edges of the shell wings. Drawings from Aldred et al., 1983.

  5. Measurements and counts.
  6. Sex Female Male Female Male, immature Male, immature
    Mantle length 220 155 130 105 21
    Total length 940 660 560 535 67
    Posterior body to fin midpoint 95 86 65 52 -
    Fin length 210 110 115 114 23
    fin width 95 65 78 50 11
    Head width - 72 69 50 8
    Eye diameter - 17 13 12 1.6
    Arm I, length 685/685 465/445 420/430 400/405 -/42
    Arm II, length -/735 480/525 420/425 395/385 40/42
    Arm III, length -/- 480/510 420/430 395/385 41/40
    Arm IV, length 650/670 470/470 420/420 425/400 -/-
    Arm I, sucker number -/- 36/38 -/- -/- -/-
    Arm II, sucker number -/- 37/38 -/- -/58 -/-
    Arm III, sucker number -/- 38/38 -/- 58/58 -/-
    Arm IV, sucker number -/- 36/38 -/- 62/58 -/-
    Gill length 33 12 16 12.5 2.4
    Gill width 25 10 12 10.5 1.4
    Gill lamellae/demibranch 9 7 7 8 9
    Capture latitude 20 10'N 43º 34'N 20º 07'N 49º 49'N 49º 49'N
    Capture longitude 21 10'W 12º 58'W 21º 46'W 14º 06'W 14º 06'W

    These measurements are taken from Aldred, et al., 1983.

Comments

The above description is taken from Aldred, et al., 1983. The shape and number of radular teeth have not been described. The presence of a radula was detected from histological sections (Aldred, et al. , 1983). The proximal portion of the oviducal gland had sperm packets indicating that this gland, as in incirrates, is a spermatheca in addition to its other functions.

References

Aldred, R. G., M. Nixon and J. Z. Young. 1983. Cirrothauma murrayi Chun, a finned octopod. Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. Lond., 301: 1-54.

About This Page


University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA


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

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