Note

Mastigoteuthis agassizii: Type description with notes on the syntype and squid from type locality

Michael Vecchione and Richard E. Young
  1. Arms
    1. Arm suckers with oblique aperatures on inner rings and smooth inner margins (Agassizii, 1881b). The syntype in the NMNH is in poor condition. One arm sucker was examined with the scanning electron microscope (see below). On the distal margin of a hint of dentition can be detected. We believe that the suckers that Agassizii examined had been damaged by the fixative so that the dentition was virtually lost. No squids of the M. agassizii group have since been taken from the general region of the  type locality with smooth arm sucker rings.
      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. Oral view of sucker of M. agassizii from middle of a lateral arm. Drawing from Verrill (1881b). Middle - Oblique side view of sucker 6 from arm III of a syntype, NMNH 574642 (33°35'N, 76°00'W). Right - Sucker 8 from arm III of an M. agassizii taken near the type locality (37°15'N, 73°54'W).

  2. Tentacles
    1. Tentacles shaped like "whip-lash." Club covers half of tentacle length. Club base with scattered suckers mostly in two series for some distance. (Verrill, 1881b).
    2. Club suckers with circular aperature often with 2-3 teeth on one side (Verrill, 1881b).
      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 club of M. agassizii. Left - Aboral view of a portion of the club. Right - Various views of club suckers. Drawings from Verrill (1881b).

  3. Funnel locking-apparatus
    1. Funnel locking apparatus: "...earshaped, elevated cartilage, on each side, fitting into corresponding deep, circumscribed pits..." (Verrill, 1881b).
    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. Funnel/mantle locking-apparatus of M. agassizii, syntypes. Left - Lateral view of the head and funnel showing the funnel locking-apparatus and a portion of the mantle reflected back to reveal a frontal view of the mantle component. Drawing from Verrill (1881b). Middle - Frontal view of the right funnel locking-apparatus, syntype, NMNH 551211. Right - Frontal view of the left funnel locking-apparatus, syntype, NMNH 551211.

  4. Measurements and counts
    SquidSyntype Syntype NMNH 814828
    32°02'N, 78°59'W
    Deep Dump 106
    37°15'N, 73°54'W
    Sex   Imm. female Imm. female 
    Mantle length   85  72
    Mantle width    -- 
    Fin length with tail    -- 
    Fin length without tail  53 45 
    Fin width   54 57 
    Head width  18 21 
    Eye diameter   10.5 13 
    Arm I length   50.5 34.5 
    Arm II length   64.5 44 
    Arm III length   62.5 42.5 
    Arm IV length   144 92 
    Eyelid photophore length/width   -- -- 
    Tentacle length  -- 191 
    Club length (% of tentacle length)   -- 70% 
    Club sucker diam.   -- -- 
    Arm sucker diam.   -- -- 
About This Page


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


University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA

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

Page: Tree of Life Mastigoteuthis agassizii: Type description with notes on the syntype and squid from type locality Authored by Michael Vecchione and 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.

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