Under Construction

Abraliopsis sp. NC2

Richard E. Young
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Containing group: Abraliopsis (Micrabralia)

Introduction

Abraliopsis sp. NC2 is presently known only from waters near New Caledonia. Females reache at least 39 mm ML.

Brief diagnosis:

An Abraliopsis (Micrabralia) ...

Characteristics

  1. Arms
    1. Hectocotylus: Right arm IV with long ventral semilunar flap and overlapping shorter (about half length of ventral membrane) dorsal semilunar flap. Low protective membranes present proximal to flaps. Hooks extend to proximal end of dorsal membrane; distal portion bare of suckers and hooks.
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      Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window

      Figure. Two views of the hectocotylus of mature males of Abraliopsis sp. NC2. Top - Oral view, 23 mm ML. Bottom - Dorsal view, 22 mm ML. Photographs by R. Young.

    2. Arms I-III with two series of hooks, replaced by suckers at tips of arms
    3. Arms of males without tubercules. Arms III of males without modification of basal hooks.
    4. Left arm IV in males and both arms IV in females with hooks virtually to terminal large photophores.
    5. Arms I-III (both sexes) with well-developed tabeculate membranes on ventral margins and virtually none on dorsal margins.
    6. Arms IV (females) with trabeculate membranes on both margins proximally, with ventral membranes larger (but much smaller than counterparts of arms III); membranes diminish distally. Left arm IV of males with low trabeculate membranes on ventral margin proximally but without obvious membranes on dorsal margin.
    7. 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. Arms IV of Abraliopsis sp.NC2 showing distribution of hooks.  Photographs by R. Young.

  2. Tentacles
    1. Club manus with 6 hooks in two series, suckers in one partial series.
    2. Club with low, short keel and without carpal flap.
    3. Largest hooks of club ventral series more than 3 times height of counterparts in dorsal series.
    4. Hook claws of club laterally compressed in cross-section.
    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. Tentacular clubs of Abraliopsis sp. NC2, male, 23 mm ML. Top - Dorso-oral view. Note the low but distinct keel but no carpal flap. Bottom - Oral view.  Note the laterally compressed structure of the hook claws.  Photographs by R. Young.

  3. Head
    1. Well developed posterior cresent ridge between occipital lobes 3 and 4.

  4. Photophores
    1. Ocular photophores: 5 photophores with end members about 2X width adjacent photophores.
    2. Integumental photophores: Ventral head with red photophores in 3 series and ventral mantle in 6 series with scattered blue photophores between.
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      Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window

      >

      Figure. Ventral view of Abraliopsis sp. NC2, mature male, 22 mm ML. Left - Photograph of the preserved squid. Photophore patterns can be difficult to determine at first glance. Right - Outline drawing from photograph with all integumental photophores represented by colored dots.  Red dots - Complex photophores. Blue dots - Non-complex photophores. Images by R. Young.

      More details of the integumental photophore pattern can be seen here.

  5. Viscera
    1. Females with 3 spermatangia receptacles: Two dorsal-collar pockets, one stellate pocket.
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      Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window


      Figure. Spermatangia receptacles of Abraliopsis sp. NC2, female, 36 mm ML. Top - Dorsal view showing the pigment (arrows) indicating the presence of three receptacles. Bottom left - The anterodorsal mantle pulled back to reveal the stellate pocket reveals little. However, a narrow slit (arrow) indicates the presence of the pocket. Bottom right - Fused part of mantle cut away reveals a typical pigmented, conical, stellate pocket (arrow). Photographs by R. Young.

  6. Measurements and counts.
      NEC-2013, M049-01
    NEC-2013, M049-01
    NEC-2010, M043-02
    NEC-2013, M049-01
    NEC-2017, M057-01 
    Sex
    Male, mature
    Male, mature
    Male, mature
    Female, mated
     Female, mated
    Mantle length
    22
    24
    22
    27
    39
    Head width index
    -
    -
    -
    -
    33
    Fin Length index
    69
    69
    72
    68
    73
    Fin width index
    110
    106
    110
    107
    97
    Arm Length index (R/L):
    I
    72/67
    63/63
    74/64
    -
    55/52
    II
    87/87
    80/78
    75/-
    -
    67/64
    III
    72/74
    -/73
    78/72
    -
    56/62
    IV
    92/90
    98
    84/96
    -
    78/72
    No. arm hooks (R/L):
    I
     15+/- -/17
    19/17
    -
    17/17
    II
    20/-
    -/21
    18/-
    -
    20/18
    III
    -/17
    -/-
    17/17
    -
    19/18
    IV
    21/28
    20/27
    21/29
    21/20
    23/24
    Club length index (R/L)
    -
    -/28
    26/-
    -
    -
    Club hooks (D/V)(R:L)
    -
    -; 3/3
    3/3; -
    -
    -
    Carpal suckers (R/L)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -

Comments.

Abraliopsis (Micrabralia) sp. NC2 has no unusual features but, nevertheless is very different from all other members of the subgenus. It is similar to the sympatric A. (M) sp. NC1 in the general patterns of integumental photophores but differs in details:

Among the other features that separate these two species, the easiest to use is the absence of armature on the distal 1/3 - 1/2 of both arms IV in A. (M) sp. NC1.

The NC species were frozen prior to fixation which makes detection of photophore types, arm membranes and trabeculae difficult and, probably, with more errors in description.

See the Abraliopsis (Micrabralia) page for comparisons among all species of the subgenus.

Distribution

Geographical distribution. At present Abraliopsis sp. NC4 is known from only three localities northwest of New Caledonia: 16°59.7'S, 163°29.6'E, 18°00.4'S, 161°12.8'E and 19°26.8'S, 159°28.7'E.
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Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window

Figure. Distribution of Abraliopsis sp. NC2. White dots represent the capture localities. Base map from Google Earth.app.

Title Illustrations
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Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window
Scientific Name Abraliopsis sp. NC2
Location Vicinity of New Caledonia
Specimen Condition Dead Specimen
Sex Male
Life Cycle Stage Mature
View Ventral
Size 22 mm ML
Image Use creative commons This media file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License - Version 3.0.
Copyright ©
About This Page


University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA

Correspondence regarding this page should be directed to Richard E. Young at

Page: Tree of Life Abraliopsis sp. NC2. Authored by Richard E. Young. The TEXT of this page is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License - Version 3.0. Note that images and other media featured on this page are each governed by their own license, and they may or may not be available for reuse. Click on an image or a media link to access the media data window, which provides the relevant licensing information. For the general terms and conditions of ToL material reuse and redistribution, please see the Tree of Life Copyright Policies.

Citing this page:

Young, Richard E. 2013. Abraliopsis sp. NC2. Version 03 November 2013 (under construction). http://tolweb.org/Abraliopsis_sp._NC2/149529/2013.11.03 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/

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