DOCSLIB.ORG

Notes on the Histology of Ovarian Eggs of the Epipelagic Octopus

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Notes on the Histology of Ovarian Eggs of the Epipelagic Octopus VENUS 65 (4): 345-353, 2007 Notes on the Histology of Ovarian Eggs of the Epipelagic Octopus Ocythoe tuberculata Caught off Naoetsu Port, Niigata Prefecture, Sea of Japan — Studies on Gonad Maturity in Some Marine Invertebrates－XIII — Yoshiharu Honma1*, Tatsuo Ushiki1, Masaei Takeda1 and Yukihiro Nakamura2 1Division of Microscopic Anatomy and Bioimaging, Department of Cellular Function, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Asahimachi 1-757, Niigata 951-8510, Japan; * [email protected] 2Johetu City Aquarium, Nishihoncho 4-19-27, Johetsu, Niigata 942-0004, Japan Abstract: The ovary and associated appendages of the rare epipelagic octopus, Ocythoe tuberculata caught alive near the harbor of Naoetsu Port, Sea of Japan on 15 February 2005, were examined histologically. The ovary was 40 g in weight, and contained approximately 60,000 eggs. The oocytes, in variously developmental stages, were attached singly to lamella- like stalks. The ovary possesed a central cystic coele, with a complex labyrinthine form in cross section．Each ovoid oocyte in the early stage had a prominent round nucleus (= germinal vesicle) containing several nucleoli. Numerous oocytes were surrounded by an intricately folded follicular epithelial layer. Large spherical oocytes had significant yolk accumulation. Deeply infolded mucosae were present in the proximal part of the oviduct, whereas shallowly intricate mucosae were detected in the distal part of the oviduct, which was surrounded by thick muscular and fibrous connective tissues. The shape of the oocytes and pattern of oogenesis of this epipelagic octopus were similar to those of coastal and deep-sea octopods. Keywords: ovarian histology, egg maturation, epipelagic octopus, Ocythoe tuberculata, Niigata Prefecture, Sea of Japan Introduction The rare epipelagic octopus, Ocythoe tuberculata Rafinesque, is widely distributed in the warm waters of the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans, the Mediterranean Sea and the Sea of Japan (Roper & Sweeney, 1975). During one winter (22 November, 2004-19 February, 2005) along the beaches of Niigata Prefecture on the west coast of Honshu (Sea of Japan), 34 stranded or drifting individuals of this species were collected by local inhabitants (Honma et al., 2005). One individual octopus, caught alive on 15 February, 2005, near the harbor of Naoetsu Port, was immediately transported to the Joetsu City Aquarium, where it died on 18 February. Because there have been no published reports on the ovarian histology of Ocythoe tuberculata, the present examination was undertaken. Materials and Methods Shortly after its death in the aquarium, early in the morning on 18 February 2005, an adult female Ocythoe tuberculata was dissected, and the ovary and associated appendages were removed and preserved in 10% formalin. These materials were forwarded to the Anatomy Department, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, where the materials were refixed in Bouin’s solution to improve their staining properties. Blocks cut from several portions 346 Y. Honma, T. Ushiki, M. Takeda & Y. Nakamura were dehydrated through an alcohol series, embedded in paraffin, cut at 5 µm thickness, stained with hematoxylin-eosin (HE) double stain and Masson-Goldner (MG) associated with aldehyde fuchsin (AF) tetrachrome, and observed under the light microscope (Leitz Orthoplan). The developmental stages in the eggs, the elaboration of the follicular epithelium and the proc- ess of vitellogenesis (yolk globules and platelets) were diagnosed according to the classification of Boyle & Chevis (1992). Further, the gonosomatic index (GSI = ovarian weight/body weight ×100) was estimated. Observations Measurements of the specimen were as follows: total length 53.0 cm, mantle length 19.0 cm, body weight 1.5 kg, ovary weight 40 g, GSI 2.67, eggs primarily long and ovoid, of 0.5-1.0 mm in length (maximum diameter 3 mm). The eggs numbered ca. 60,000 (by visual approximation: ca. 1,500/g). The progress of development of eggs was tentatively determined and summarized as follows: Stage I. Oogonia, not yet surrounded by follicular epithelium. Stage II. Oocyte, pre-vitello- genesis. 1) Round oocyte surrounded by flat follicular epithelium. 2) Ovoid oocyte surrounded by cuboidal follicule-cells. 3) Ovoid oocyte surrounded by columnar follicle-cells. StageIII. 4) Ovoid oocyte showing early phase of follicular epithelium invagination. 5) Long ovoid oocyte with deeply invaginated follicular epithelium. 6) Oocyte with deeply invaginated follicular epithelium and thecal cells. 7) Oocyte with numerous yolk globules and distinct oolemma. 8) Oocyte with yolk platelets and amorphous-structured follicular epithelium. The ovary and oviduct, constituting a spherical mass, were surrounded by a fibrous capsule, and positioned on the liver and renal organs. The eggs (in various developmental stages) were partitioned into numerous cysts, each egg being attached singly to a lamella-like stalk (or sheath) derived from a fibrous capsule (Fig. 1). The ovary possessed oocytes in various developmental stages, showing a complex labyrinthine form around a central cystic coele in cross section. At the earliest stage, the oogonium was round in shape with no follicular epithelium (St. I). Mitotic division was only rarely detected in the oogonia gathered in the cysts (Figs. 1, 2). At the next stage, early oocytes became ovoid in shape, surrounded by a flat follicular epithelium (St. II-1). Early oocytes, 84-132 µm in diameter, had a prominent nucleus, about 36 µm in diameter. However, further development of oocytes involved very complex morphological phases. Ovoid oocytes, 15-40 µm in longer axis，had a round apically localized nucleus, with prominent nucleoli. This type of oocyte was surrounded by thin thecal and cuboidal follicular epithelial cells. Its cyto- plasm was relatively smooth and compact (St. II-2). The oocyte was then surrounded by a columnar follicular epithelium (St. II-3) (Figs. 2, 3). With further oocyte development, the folding of the follicular epithelium gradually developed from a shallow depression to several longitudinally invaginated structures (St. III-4) (Fig. 3). The size of the oocytes (follicles) measured 360-960 µm wide and 720-1200 µm long. These oocytes were surrounded by a columnar follicular epithelium (St. III-5). The epithelial cells, ranging from low to high columnar in shape, comprised pale cytoplasm and orangenophil nuclei following MG- AF staining.The outer surface of each follicle was surrounded by a single layer of thecal cells and sporadically distributed capillaries (St. III-6) (Fig. 4). An inner oolemma (= chorion) in the fol- licular epithelium was stained red with HE and positive to AF, revealing a pattern of zona radiata (Fig. 5). The ooplasm was characterized by a wavy margin forming vesicles and vacuoles. The yolk globules developed in the ooplasm in several following stages (St. III-7) (Fig. 5). The globules changed gradually into large yolk spherules, and finally formed yolk platelets. The development of yolk platelets was accompanied by a gradual decrease in the degree of follicular epithelial folding. Each mature oocyte, consisting only of yolk platelets, was surrounded by an amorphously struc- Ovarian Histology of Ocythoe tuberculata 347 Fig. 1. Section of ovary of Ocythoe tuberculata comprising oocytes in various developmental stages. Young oocytes are attached solitarily to the stalk (arrow) of the ovarian lamella. In several oocytes, prominent longitudinal enfoldings of follicular epithelia are apparent (asterisk). HE stain. Scale bar = 50 µm. Fig. 2. Massed oogonia (asterisk), a young oocyte with a nucleus (germinal vesicle) and nucleoli (arrow), and part of a more developed oocyte showing the strong invagination of follicular epithelium consisting of high columnar cells (arrow head). HE stain. Scale bar = 25 µm. Fig. 3. An oocyte showing an early phase of invagination of the follicular epithelium (asterisk), and a young oocyte comprising a round nucleus and prominent nucleoli (arrow). HE Stain. Scale bar = 25 µm. 348 Y. Honma, T. Ushiki, M. Takeda & Y. Nakamura Fig. 4. An oocyte showing deep invgination of the follicular epithelium (asterisk) surrounded by thecal cells (arrow). HE stain. Scale bar = 25 µm. Fig. 5. Part of the mature ovum comprising numerous yolk globules (large asterisk). Ovum is surrounded in turn by: oolemma (chorion or zona radiata) (arrow head), follicular epithelium (small asterisk) and theca (arrow). HE stain. Scale bar = 25 µm. Fig. 6. Part of the mature ovum showing yolk platelets in the ooplasm. MG-AF stain. Oolemma strongly reacts with AF (arrow). Scale bar = 25 µm. Ovarian Histology of Ocythoe tuberculata 349 Fig. 7. Section of proximal oviduct showing highly intricate mucosae (arrow). HE stain. Scale bar = 50 µm. Fig. 8. Section of distal oviduct surrounded by thick muscular wall (asterisk). Note low mucosal epithelium (arrow). HE stain. Scale bar = 50 µm. Fig. 9. Part of mucosae of proximal oviduct consisting of high columnar epithelial cells (arrow heads) with basally shifted nucleus. HE stain. Scale bar = 25 µm. Fig. 10. Part of mucosae of distal oviduct consisting of low columnar epithelial cells (arrow head). HE stain. Scale bar = 25 µm. 350 Y. Honma, T. Ushiki, M. Takeda & Y. Nakamura tured follicular epithelium, consisting only of yolk platelets (St. III-8) (Fig. 6). Atretic follicles in various stages were often found. In the final stage, both thecal and chori- onal elements were almost entirely
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Pelagic Octopod Ocythoe Tuberculata Rafinesque, 1814
    -3- 'C THE PELAGIC OCTOPOD OCYTHOE TUBERCULATA RAFINESQUE, 1814 Clyde Roper and Michael J. Sweeney National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. 20560 A large octopod from southern Australia was in the Argonauta shell. Rafinesque's comments sent to the National Museum of Natural History on Ocythoe are quoted here because the 1840 (NMNH) by Brian Smith, National Museum of work is not readily available and largely has been Victoria, Melbourne, Australia, for identification. overlooked resulting in misinterpretations by The specimen was a large female of the pelagic some subsequent workers who had not seen it. octopod Ocythoe tuberculata Rafinesque, 1814. (See also Binney & Tryon, 1864). Because this species is uncommon in collections, "12. On the 3 Genera of Cephalopodes, this fine specimen stimulated a search of the Ocythoe, Todarus and Anisoctus. literature to determine the previously reported "My G. Ocythoe altho' adopted by specimens and their distribution. The South Aus- Leach and others, is yet a problematical tralian specimen is the first recorded capture of O. animal for many, and I find even in late tuberculata from the waters of Australia. Journals discussions on its being or not Furthermore, the species previously has not been the animal of the Argonauta shell - it reported from the entire central Pacific or the would be wiser to ask me (the original Indian Oceans. This paper records major discoverer) for my opinion or experience - extentions in range that verify a world-wide I once wrote to Leach about it, but it was distribution, and it adds new information during his sickness, and 1 believe he concerning certain aspects of the biology of O.
    [Show full text]
  • Measurements and Regressions of Otoliths, Cephalopod Beaks, and Other Prey Hard Parts Used to Reconstruct California Current Predator Diet Composition
    NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS DECEMBER 2020 MEASUREMENTS AND REGRESSIONS OF OTOLITHS, CEPHALOPOD BEAKS, AND OTHER PREY HARD PARTS USED TO RECONSTRUCT CALIFORNIA CURRENT PREDATOR DIET COMPOSITION 1Mark S. Lowry, 1K. Alexandra Curtis, 2Christiana M. Boerger 1Southwest Fisheries Science Center National Marine Fisheries Service National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 8901 La Jolla Shores Dr. San Diego, CA 92037 2California State University Northridge Northridge, CA NOAA-TM-NMFS-SWFSC-637 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service Southwest Fisheries Science Center About the NOAA Technical Memorandum series The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), organized in 1970, has evolved into an agency which establishes national policies and manages and conserves our oceanic, coastal, and atmospheric resources. An organizational element within NOAA, the Office of Fisheries is responsible for fisheries policy and the direction of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). In addition to its formal publications, the NMFS uses the NOAA Technical Memorandum series to issue informal scientific and technical publications when complete formal review and editorial processing are not appropriate or feasible. Documents within this series, however, reflect sound professional work and may be referenced in the formal scientific and technical literature. SWFSC Technical Memorandums are available online at the following websites: SWFSC: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/about/southwest-fisheries-science-center NOAA Repository: https://repository.library.noaa.gov/ NTIS National Technical Reports Library: https://ntrl.ntis.gov/NTRL/ Accessibility information NOAA Fisheries Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) is committed to making our publications and supporting electronic documents accessible to individuals of all abilities.
    [Show full text]
  • Dear Authors. Please See Below for Specific Edits Allowed on This Document (So That We Can Keep Track of Changes / Updates): 1
    _______________________________________________________ Dear authors. Please see below for specific edits allowed on this document (so that we can keep track of changes / updates): 1. Affiliations (Suggesting mode) 2. Comments only on sections 1-6, 8-14 (unless it is your groups’ section, in which case edits using Suggesting mode allowed) 3. Edits and contributions can be made by anyone, using Suggesting mode, to sections 7, 15-18. NB! Suggesting mode- see fig below: pencil icon at top right of toolbar must be selected as Suggesting (not Editing). ___________________________________________________________ WORLD OCTOPUS FISHERIES Warwick H. Sauer[1], Zöe Doubleday[2], Nicola Downey-Breedt[3], Graham Gillespie[4], Ian G. Comentario [1]: Note: Authors Gleadall[5], Manuel Haimovici[6], Christian M. Ibáñez[7], Stephen Leporati[8], Marek Lipinski[9], Unai currently set up as: W. Sauer Markaida[10], Jorge E. Ramos[11], Rui Rosa[12], Roger Villanueva[13], Juan Arguelles[14], Felipe A. (major lead), followed by section leads in alphabetical order, Briceño[15], Sergio A. Carrasco[16], Leo J. Che[17], Chih-Shin Chen[18], Rosario Cisneros[19], Elizabeth followed by section contributors in Conners[20], Augusto C. Crespi-Abril[21], Evgenyi N. Drobyazin[22], Timothy Emery[23], Fernando A. alphabetical order. Fernández-Álvarez[24], Hidetaka Furuya[25], Leo W. González[26], Charlie Gough[27], Oleg N. Katugin[28], P. Krishnan[29], Vladimir V. Kulik[30], Biju Kumar[31], Chung-Cheng Lu[32], Kolliyil S. Mohamed[33], Jaruwat Nabhitabhata[34], Kyosei Noro[35], Jinda Petchkamnerd[36], Delta Putra[37], Steve Rocliffe[38], K.K. Sajikumar[39], Geetha Hideo Sakaguchi[40], Deepak Samuel[41], Geetha Sasikumar[42], Toshifumi Wada[43], Zheng Xiaodong[44], Anyanee Yamrungrueng[45].
    [Show full text]
  • Coleoid Cephalopods Through Time 4Th International Symposium “Coleoid Cephalopods Through Time”
    Coleoid Cephalopods Through Time 4TH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM “COLEOID CEPHALOPODS THROUGH TIME” ABSTRACTS VOLUME Coleoid Cephalopods 2011 Stuttgart 1 WELCOME TO STUTTGART AND THE 4TH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM “COLEOID CEPHALOPODS THROUGH TIME” Sponsored by German Research Foundation (DFG) Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart (SMNS) Hosted by Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart (SMNS) Organizing commitee Günter Schweigert (Stuttgart, Germany) Gerd Dietl (Stuttgart, Germany) Dirk Fuchs (Berlin, Germany) Scientific commitee Laure Bonnaud (Paris, France) Michael Vecchione (Washington, USA) Kazushige Tanabe (Tokyo, Japan) Jörg Mutterlose (Bochum, Germany) Layout & Design Mariepol Goetzinger (Luxembourg, Luxembourg) Dirk Fuchs (Berlin, Germany) 2 Coleoid Cephalopods 2011 Stuttgart Welcome Welcome address Dear Colleagues, the 4th International Symposium “Coleoid Cephalopods Through Time” is again held far away from the next coast. Nevertheless, it is our particular pleasure to welcome you in Swabia, the region whose marine fossils richness considerably inspired the pioneers of palaeontology to start thinking about the origin and evolution of modern cephalopods. It was both the quantity and quality of fossils, which led our scientific forerunners MAJOR CARL HARTWIG VON ZIETEN, PHILIPPE-LOUIS VOLTZ, COUNT GEORG ZU MÜNSTER, or FRIEDRICH AUGUST VON QUENSTEDT to spend many years or even most of their lifetime in Swabian outcrops for fossil hunting. Especially the achievements of ALCIDE D’ORBIGNY and ADOLF NAEF are essentially based on fossils from southern Germany. During the 80s and 90s of the last century, Swabia was again a center of coleoid research. THEO ENGESER, JOACHIM REITNER, and WOLFGANG RIEGRAF (all from Tübingen University) were responsible for an enormous progress in understanding the anatomy and evolution of Mesozoic coleoids.
    [Show full text]
  • Ocythoe Tuberculata Rafinesque, 1814 (Cephalopoda, Octopoda)
    Sur une espèce nouvelle dans la faune teuthologique de Tunisie: <Ocythoe tuberculata> Rafinesque, 1814 (Cephalopoda, Octopoda) Item Type Journal Contribution Authors Ezzeddine-Najai, S.; El Abed, A. Citation Bulletin de l Institut national des sciences et technologies de la Mer, 28. p. 85-88 Publisher INSTM Download date 28/09/2021 15:25:19 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/1834/3688 Bull. Inst. Natn. Scien. Tech. Mer de Salammbô, Vol. 28, 2001 SUR UNE ESPECE NOUVELLE DANS LA FAUNE TEUTHOLOGIQUE DE TUNISIE: OCYTHOE TUBERCULATA RAFINESQUE, 1814 (CEPHALOPODA, OCTOPODA) Soufia EZZEDDINE-NAJAI* et Amor EL ABED** INSTM, 2025 Salammbô (Tunisie) *E-mail: [email protected] **E-mail: [email protected] ملخّص حول التّعرّف على صنف جديد من الرّأسيّات اﻷرجل بالمياه التونسية Ocythoe Tuberculata Rafinesque, 1814 (Cephalopoda, Octopoda) : تمّ التّعزّف ﻷَّل مزّة بشمال المياي التُّوسيّت على صىف مه الزّأسيّاث اﻷرجل لم وعٍدي مه قبل على سُاحلىا ٌَُ اﻷخطبُط Ocythoe tuberculata Rafinesque, 1814 مه اﻷصىاف العائمت َالىّادرة بالبحز المتُسّط؛ َاستىادا على المزاجع ، فالحيُان المتعزّف عليً َالبالغ مه الطُل 31.5 صم، يعتبز مه أكبز اﻹواث حجما لٍذا الصىف. المفاتيح: الزأسياث اﻷرجل، Ocythoe tuberculata، المياي ا ـلشّماليّت التّـُوسيّت. RESUME Une espèce de Céphalopode a été identifiée pour la première fois dans les eaux tunisiennes; il s'agit de Ocythoe tuberculata Rafinesque, 1814, un octopode pélagique peu fréquent en Méditerranée et capturé dans la région nord de Tunisie. Le spécimen, de taille de 31.5cm, est parmi les plus grandes femelles mentionnées de l'espèce dans la littérature. Mots-clé: Céphalopode, Ocythoe tuberculata, Nord de Tunisie. ABSTRACT On a new record of Cephalopod species in the Tunisian teuthological fauna Ocythoe Tuberculata Rafinesque, 1814 (Cephalopoda, Octopoda) : A species of Cephalopod has been identified for the first time in the north of Tunisian waters; it is about Ocythoe tuberculata Rafinesque, 1814, an uncommon pelagic octopus in the Mediterranean.
    [Show full text]
  • Mediterranean Marine Science
    Mediterranean Marine Science Vol. 14, 2013 Uncommon pelagic and deep-sea cephalopods in the Mediterranean: new data and literature review QUETGLAS A. Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centre Oceanogràfic de les Balears, Moll de Ponent s/n, 07015 Palma, Spain ORDINES F. Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centre Oceanogràfic de les Balears, Moll de Ponent s/n, 07015 Palma, Spain GONZALEZ M. Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga, Puerto Pesquero s/n, 29640 Fuengirola, Spain ZARAGOZA N. Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centre Oceanogràfic de les Balears, Moll de Ponent s/n, 07015 Palma, Spain MALLOL S. Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centre Oceanogràfic de les Balears, Moll de Ponent s/n, 07015 Palma, Spain VALLS M. Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centre Oceanogràfic de les Balears, Moll de Ponent s/n, 07015 Palma, Spain DE MESA A. Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centre Oceanogràfic de les Balears, Moll de Ponent s/n, 07015 Palma, Spain http://dx.doi.org/10.12681/mms.320 Copyright © 2013 http://epublishing.ekt.gr | e-Publisher: EKT | Downloaded at 11/12/2018 09:47:01 | To cite this article: QUETGLAS, A., ORDINES, F., GONZALEZ, M., ZARAGOZA, N., MALLOL, S., VALLS, M., & DE MESA, A. (2013). Uncommon pelagic and deep-sea cephalopods in the Mediterranean: new data and literature review. Mediterranean Marine Science, 14(1), 69-85. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.12681/mms.320 http://epublishing.ekt.gr | e-Publisher: EKT | Downloaded at 11/12/2018 09:47:01 | Review Article Mediterranean Marine Science Indexed in WoS (Web of Science, ISI Thomson) and SCOPUS The journal is available on line at http://www.medit-mar-sc.net http://dx.doi.org/10.12681/mms.320 Uncommon pelagic and deep-sea cephalopods in the Mediterranean: new data and literature review A.
    [Show full text]
  • Identification Guide for Cephalopod Paralarvae from the Mediterranean Sea
    ICES Cooperative Research Report No. 324 Rapport des Recherches Collectives February 2015 Identification guide for cephalopod paralarvae from the Mediterranean Sea ICES COOPERATIVE RESEARCH REPORT RAPPORT DES RECHERCHES COLLECTIVES NO. 324 FEBRUARY 2015 Identification guide for cephalopod paralarvae from the Mediterranean Sea Authors Núria Zaragoza, Antoni Quetglas, and Ana Moreno International Council for the Exploration of the Sea Conseil International pour l’Exploration de la Mer H. C. Andersens Boulevard 44–46 DK-1553 Copenhagen V Denmark Telephone (+45) 33 38 67 00 Telefax (+45) 33 93 42 15 www.ices.dk [email protected] Recommended format for purposes of citation: Zaragoza, N., Quetglas, A. and Moreno, A. 2015. Identification guide for cephalopod paralarvae from the Mediterranean Sea. ICES Cooperative Research Report No. 324. 91 pp. https://doi.org/10.17895/ices.pub.5492 Series Editor: Emory D. Anderson The material in this report may be reused for non-commercial purposes using the rec- ommended citation. ICES may only grant usage rights of information, data, images, graphs, etc. of which it has ownership. For other third-party material cited in this re- port, you must contact the original copyright holder for permission. For citation of da- tasets or use of data to be included in other databases, please refer to the latest ICES data policy on the ICES website. All extracts must be acknowledged. For other repro- duction requests please contact the General Secretary. This document is a report conducted under the auspices of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea and does not necessarily represent the view of the Coun- cil.
    [Show full text]
  • Evolution of the Gills in the Octopodiformes
    BULLETIN OF MARINE SCIENCE, 71(2): 1003–1017, 2002 EVOLUTION OF THE GILLS IN THE OCTOPODIFORMES Richard E. Young and Michael Vecchione ABSTRACT The gills of cirrate octopods are known to be unusual with terms ‘half orange’ and ‘sepioid’ commonly used to describe them. The structure and relationships of these gills to other cephalopod gills have not been adequately investigated. In this paper we investi- gate the evolution of the gills of cirrates and of octopodiforms in general. Octopodiform gills differ from the primitive cephalopod gill, as exemplified by the gills of Nautilus and decapodiforms, by the presence of septa along the axes of the primary and secondary lamellae. The septa apparently constrain the respiratory surfaces to form tree-like folds rather than the fan-like folds of other cephalopods. In members of the Vampyromorpha, the sister taxon of the Octopoda, gills have a peculiar circulation pattern that seems to be a unique adaptation to its deep-sea habitat. The arrangement of blood vessels in the cirrates involves the repositioning of the primary efferent vessels deep within the gill. In addi- tion, an axial anastomosis of superficial afferent vessels resulted in an appearance similar to a decapodiform gill but with afferent rather than efferent vessels on the ‘top’ of the gill. This, combined with the lack of a branchial canal and the presence of bilaterally sym- metrical lamellae, has resulted in the appearance of a ‘sepioid’ gill. The ‘half-orange’ gill appears to result from a foreshortening and rotation of the gill to give the impression of a nearly radial arrangement of equal-sized primary lamellae rather than the typical serial arrangement of primary lamellae that decrease in size distally.
    [Show full text]
  • The Giant Deep-Sea Octopus Haliphron Atlanticus Forages on Gelatinous Fauna Received: 31 October 2016 H.J.T
    www.nature.com/scientificreports OPEN The giant deep-sea octopus Haliphron atlanticus forages on gelatinous fauna Received: 31 October 2016 H.J.T. Hoving1 & S.H.D. Haddock2 Accepted: 16 February 2017 Feeding strategies and predator-prey interactions of many deep-sea pelagic organisms are still Published: 27 March 2017 unknown. This is also true for pelagic cephalopods, some of which are very abundant in oceanic ecosystems and which are known for their elaborate behaviors and central role in many foodwebs. We report on the first observations of the giant deep-sea octopusHaliphron atlanticus with prey. Using remotely operated vehicles, we saw these giant octopods holding medusae in their arms. One of the medusae could be identified asPhacellophora camtschatica (the egg-yolk jelly). Stomach content analysis confirmed predation on cnidarians and gelatinous organisms. The relationship between medusae and H. atlanticus is discussed, also in comparison with other species of the Argonautoidea, all of which have close relationships with gelatinous zooplankton. The pelagic ocean is the largest living space on the planet, and one that holds enormous biodiversity and biomass1. While general trophic relations between oceanic pelagic organisms can be reconstructed using various dietary tracers2, knowledge of prey choice and feeding behavior remains virtually unknown for many pelagic fauna. With the advancement of underwater technology, deep-sea in situ observations are revealing novel behaviors of deep-sea organisms. Examples include luring in deep-sea siphonophores3 and squids4,5, carnivory and prey specialization in ctenophores6 and medusae7, and detritivory in cephalopods8. Cephalopods are a group of molluscs that inhabit the marine environment from shallow reefs to the deep sea.
    [Show full text]
  • Diet of Risso's Dolphin (Grampus Griseus) in the Western Mediterranean
    SCIENTIA MARINA 70 (3) September 2006, 407-411, Barcelona (Spain) ISSN: 0214-8358 Diet of Risso’s dolphin (Grampus griseus) in the western Mediterranean Sea CARMEN BLANCO, Mª ÁNGELES RADUÁN and JUAN ANTONIO RAGA Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, University of Valencia, P.O. Box 22085. 46100 Valencia, Spain. E-mail: [email protected] SUMMARY: The diet of Risso’s dolphin in the Mediterranean is described based on 15 animals stranded between 40º25’N 00º32’W and 37º35’N 00º45’E from April 1987 to January 2003. The prey were mainly oceanic cephalopods. Pelagic octopods, especially A. argo, were the most abundant (mean = 41.28%; SD±34.32). Species belonging to the families Ommastrephidae, Histioteuthidae and Onychoteuthidae were also frequent components of its diet. The bathymetric distribu- tion of cephalopods shows that Risso’s dolphin preferentially feeds on the middle slope (600 to 800 m depth) in the Mediterranean. Keywords: Grampus griseus, cetacean, cephalopods, diet, slope, Mediterranean. RESUMEN: DIETA DEL DELFÍN DE RISSO (GRAMPUS GRISEUS) EN EL MEDITERRÁNEO OCCIDENTAL. – Se ha analizado el conte- nido gastrointestinal de quince ejemplares de Grampus griseus varados en el Mediterráneo occidental entre 40º25’N 00º32’W y 37º35’N 00º45’E durante el período1987 a 2003. Los resultados indican una dieta teutófaga, basada principal- mente en cefalópodos oceánicos destacando los octópodos pelágicos, especialmente Argonauta argo, como la presa más abundante (media = 41,28%; SD±34,32). Algunas especies pertenecientes a las familias Ommastrephidae, Histioteuthidae y Onychoteuthidae son también componentes frecuentes de la misma. La distribución batimétrica de los cefalópodos indica que el área de alimentación de este delfín se localiza preferentemente sobre el talud continental medio (600-800 m de pro- fundidad).
    [Show full text]
  • Cephalopods of the Broad Caribbean: Distribution, Abundance, and Ecological
    Cephalopods of the Broad Caribbean: Distribution, Abundance, and Ecological Importance by Heather L. Judkins A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy College of Marine Science University of South Florida Co-Major Professor: Joseph Torres, Ph.D. Co-Major Professor: Michael Vecchione, Ph.D. Susan Bell, Ph.D. David Mann, Ph.D. Mark Luther, Ph.D. Date of Approval: June 10, 2009 Keywords: mollusca, Caribbean diversity, biogeography, latitudinal gradients, coastal Atlantic Ocean ©Copyright 2009, Heather L. Judkins ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to acknowledge the team of people who have helped me through this process. Dr. Joseph Torres, Dr. Michael Vecchione, and my entire committee, Dr. Susan Bell, Dr. David Mann, and Dr. Mark Luther, have been instrumental in terms of advice, pathways to follow, and excellent sounding boards for my many questions. I would like to acknowledge Dr. Clyde Roper for his foresight in seeing that I had potential to add a small part of research to the cephalopod scientific community and his words of wisdom and encouragement throughout this entire venture. I would like to thank Dr. Nancy Voss for her advice and guidance in understanding of cephalopod species of the Broad Caribbean. Her assistance in my work is beyond compare. Dr. Ronald B. Toll and Dr. Steven C. Hess were instrumental in documenting cephalopod specimen information from the Hourglass Cruises that were conducted from 1965 through 1967, by the Marine Research Laboratory of the Florida Board of Conservation on the continental shelf of the Gulf of Mexico which was included in my dissertation.
    [Show full text]
  • Oceanic Cephalopod Distribution and Species Diversity in the Eastern North Atlantic
    OCEANIC CEPHALOPOD DISTRIBUTION AND SPECIES DIVERSITY IN THE EASTERN NORTH ATLANTIC MALCOLM R. CLARKE CLARKE , M.R. 2006. Oceanic cephalopod distribution and species diversity in the eastern north Atlantic. Arquipélago . Life and Marine Sciences 23A: 27-46 This work provides a baseline against which we might measure future changes to oceanic midwater cephalopod stability in the eastern North Atlantic It records a considerable sampling effort from 1959 to 1986 aimed at oceanic midwater cephalopods made by the author and colleagues in the eastern North Atlantic between approximately 10ºN to 70ºN and 0ºto 30ºW. From these samples the latitudinal distribution, the biodiversity and, to some extent, the relative rarity of the species present in the area is shown. Over 700 collections were made with a range of nets from small plankton nets to large commercial trawls of many designs. As an independent measure of the efficiency of our sampling, the species represented by lower beaks from the stomach contents of 241 sperm whales (Physeter catodon ) caught or stranded at five different localities in the area are listed and discussed. In total, over 40,000 cephalopods of 82 oceanic midwater species and 16 shelf and slope species were identified and are included here. The number of midwater species caught by nets increases regularly from 11ºN to 32ºN and decreases from 32ºN to 60ºN. A sharp increase at 32ºN of about 10 species above the curve produced by the catches at other stations is very probably due to the use of lights on the nets at this position. This suggests that further use of lights at all stations might elevate the curve at each position commensurate with the numbers of species found by conventional nets.
    [Show full text]