Cirroctopus mawsoni

Introduction

Characteristics

1. Arms and web
   1. Arm sucker count 27-31 [arms I-IV, holotye (O'Shea, 1999)].
   

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   Figure. Oral view of left arm I and adjoining web of C. mawsoni. Drawing from Berry, 1917.

   2. Sucker 11 of right arm I.
   

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   Figure. Oral view of arm I sucker and adjacent cirri of C. mawsoni. Drawing from Berry, 1917.

   3. Measurements
      1. Mantle length.....................12 mm*
      2. Total length......................32 mm
      3. Posterior mantle to base arms I...15 mm
      4. Mantle width......................09 mm
      5. Head width........................09 mm
      6. Width across fins.................28 mm
      7. Fin length........................08 mm; 12 mm*
      8. Fin width (midpoint)..............06.5 mm
      9. Funnel length.....................03.5 mm
      10. Length, arms I....................17 mm; 12.3*
      11. Length, arms II...................10.8 mm*
      12. Length, arms III..................10 mm*
      13. Length, arms IV...................10 mm*
      14. Web depth, sector A...............11 mm*
      15. Web depth, sector B...............10 mm*
      16. Web depth, sector C...............09.4 mm*
      17. Web depth, sector D...............06.6 mm*
      18. Web depth, sector E...............05.4 mm*
      19. Sucker counts, arms I.............28/28*
      20. Sucker counts, arms II............27/27*
      21. Sucker counts, arms III...........27/31*
      22. Sucker counts, arms IV............29/27*
      23. Largest arm sucker diameter.......0.6 mm*
      24. Largest cirri.....................0.5-1.0 mm*
      25. Gill lamellae.....................4?*
      26. Sex...............................?
          * - Measurements of holotype from O'Shea, 1999. Other measurements from Berry, 1917.

   Comments

   Insufficient information exists to separate this species from G. glacialis although it has a lower arm sucker count (O'Shea, 1999) (but the holotype is smaller). If they prove to be synonymous, G. mawsoni has priority. Descriptions of animals in good condition from the type locality are needed.

   This species differs from G. hochbergi in having a much lighter ventral mantle surface and a lower arm sucker count (O'Shea, 1999). Some specimens of G. glacialis, at least, also have a much lighter ventral mantle (see photos under "Pigmentation" for that species).

Distribution

References

O’Shea, Steve. 1999. The Marine Fauna of New Zealand: Octopoda (Mollusca: Cephalopoda). NIWA Biodiversity Memoir 112: 280pp.

Vecchione, M., U. Piatkowski and A. L. Allcock. 1998. Biology of the cirrate octopod Grimpoteuthis glacialis (Cephalopoda; Opisthoteuthidae) in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. S. Afr. J. Mar. Sci. 20: 421-428.