PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 119(4):586–591. 2006. A redescription of Planctoteuthis levimana (Lo¨nnberg, 1896) (Mollusca: Cephalopoda), with a brief review of the genus Richard E. Young, Michael Vecchione*, Uwe Piatkowski, and Clyde F. E. Roper (REY) Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, U.S.A., e-mail: [email protected]; (MV) Systematics Laboratory, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012, U.S.A., e-mail: [email protected]; (UP) Leibniz-Institut fu¨r Meereswissenschaften, IFM-GEOMAR, Kiel, Germany, e-mail: [email protected]; (CFER) Deptartment of Invertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C. 20560-0153, U.S.A., e-mail: [email protected] Abstract.—We re-describe Planctoteuthis levimana (Lo¨nnberg, 1896), a poorly known species of oegopsid squid in the Chiroteuthidae, based on two specimens taken from near the type locality. We also designate a neotype for P. levimana. We demonstrate that P. levimana is a valid taxon through brief comparisons with other members of the genus, and we assess the importance of the funnel locking-apparatus as a species-level character in Planctoteuthis. Planctoteuthis levimana (Lo¨nnberg, around the head and eyes. Additional 1896) was originally described as Masti- information is available on the world- goteuthis levimana based on two speci- wide web at: http://tolweb.org/tree? mens, one of which was in fragments. It group5Planctoteuthis. was transferred to Valbyteuthis by Young (1972). Young (1991) subsequently placed Systematics the genus Valbyteuthis in the synonymy of Planctoteuthis which he considered a ge- Planctoteuthis Pfeffer, 1912 nus rather that a subgenus as originally Diagnosis.—Chiroteuthid without pho- described by Pfeffer (1912). Planctoteuthis tophores. Eyes project ventrally from levimana is now the oldest species as- head. Arms IV with relatively few suckers signed to this genus. In spite of the early aligned essentially in single series. Ten- description, this species, to our knowl- tacular clubs small, compact. Funnel edge, has not been reported since. We valve absent. Funnel locking-apparatus describe here two specimens, one of without tragus but with antitragus. which is in exceptionally good condition, although arm tips and tentacular clubs Planctoteuthis levimana (Lo¨nnberg, are missing. The other specimen is badly 1896) damaged but has a single tentacle with Figs. 1, 2d, e, k–o an intact club. Here we are able to add Material examined.—Specimen no. 1: additional details to the original de- Neotype (Bergen Museum cat. no. scription, including the previously un- ZMBN 77635), 60 mm ML, immature known thick, vesiculate, gelatinous lobes female taken on 1 Jul 2004 at 41u189N, 28u159W in a midwater trawl that fished * Corresponding author. from 0–2400 m. Specimen no. 2: (Bergen VOLUME 119, NUMBER 4 587 Fig. 1. Planctoteuthis levimana, specimen no. 1 (neotype), 70 mm ML, photographs of squid prior to fixation. (a) ventral view, (b) dorsal view, (c) side view. 588 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON Fig. 2. (a–c) Planctoteuthis exopthalmica. (a) dorsal view, 25 mm ML, drawing from Chun, 1910, (b) frontal view of funnel locking-apparatus, drawing from Chun, 1910, (c) ventral view, drawing from Chun, 1910; (d–g, k–o) Planctoteuthis levimana. (d) frontal view of funnel locking-apparatus of specimen no. 2, (e) frontal view of funnel locking-apparatus of neotype, (f) frontal view of funnel locking-apparatus of type specimen, now lost; drawing by J. Schroeder, (g) ventral view of type specimen, drawing by J. Schroeder, (k) oral view of arm showing sucker dentition, (l) lateral view of mantle locking apparatus, (m) ventral-oblique view of head showing separation of gelatinous lobes between eyes, (n) oral-oblique view of tentacle showing lack of keel, (o) oral view of tentacle; (h) Planctoteuthis oligobessa. Frontal view of funnel locking-apparatus; (i) Planctoteuthis lippula. Frontal view of funnel locking-apparatus; (j) Planctoteuthis danae. Frontal view of funnel locking-apparatus. Museum cat. no. ZMBN 77636), 70 mm 1800 m. These two squid were captured in ML (estimate), sex undetermined, taken the north Atlantic Ocean north of the on 1 Jul 2004 at 41u319N, 29u559Win Azores within a few degrees of the type a midwater trawl that fished from 800– locality, 43uN, 24uW. VOLUME 119, NUMBER 4 589 Description.—Arm suckers in two, absent. Mantle thin, muscular, terminates closely packed series. Large arm suckers at midlevel on fins. Fins with anterior with ca. 12 broad, triangular teeth distally lobes, posterior lobes uncertain due to on inner rings, becoming low, blunt teeth damage. Tail unknown, missing on our proximally (Fig. 2k). Large suckers of specimens. Thick, triangular conus bro- lateral arms with outer rings 0.8 mm in ken off at posterior edge of fins. diameter, apertures 0.5 mm in diameter. Photophores absent. Pigmentation con- Arm I suckers smaller than lateral arm sists of large reddish-brown chromato- suckers. Arm IV suckers smallest, di- phores scattered over arms, head, funnel, ameter 0.4 mm (outer rings), 0.23 mm mantle and fins (Fig. 1). Digestive gland (apertures). Arms with low protective oriented oblique to body axis. membranes, often difficult to detect. Measurements.—Abbreviations: FL 5 Tentacles thick, muscular (Fig. 1a). fin length, FW 5 fin width, HL 5 head Club relatively small, slender, compact, length, ML 5 mantle length, MW 5 without aboral keel (Fig. 2n, o). Distal mantle width. Neotype (specimen no. 1, third of club with suckers in four series, immature female): ML – 60 mm, MW – decreasing to one sucker near tip. Suckers 13 mm, FW – 36 mm, FL – 17 mm , HL absent from club tip which forms short (nuchal cartilage to posterior end of cone covered with chromatophores. Prox- brachial pillar – 16.5 mm; Brachial Pillar imally suckers not as regularly arranged, width - 9 mm, Branchial Pillar depth – appear mostly in three series, decreasing 7 mm, Head width (across eyes) – 14, Neck to a single sucker at base and preceded width – 13.5 mm, Neck length (collar to proximally by a ‘‘carpus.’’ ‘‘Carpus’’ with posterior eye margin) – 8 mm, Eye width – 5 suckers in single zig-zag series; carpal 10 mm, Eye depth – 12.5 mm, Head depth suckers mostly larger than suckers of club (midline at posterior edge of eyes) – 12 mm, proper and with relatively larger aper- Lens diameter – 5 mm. Specimen no. 2 tures. Suckers of club proper with broad (sex undetermined): ML – 70 mm (esti- outer rings and narrow apertures, appar- mate), Club length – 11 mm, Club width – ently with smooth inner rings. Entire 2.2 mm, Diameter outer ring of large club, including ‘‘carpus,’’ bounded by suckersofclubproper–0.3mm,Aperture thick protective membranes which appear diameter – 0.06 – 0.08 mm. Large carpal to join distal to terminal sucker. suckers – 0.04 mm, Aperture – 0.14 mm. Head with large laterally compressed eyes with silvery rostra on ventral tips Discussion (Fig. 1a–c). Eyes bulge greatly from head laterally and ventrally, surrounded by The type specimens of P. levimana thick, gelatinous layers that extend to lacked tentacles, and some additional lateral sides of head (Figs. 1a–c, 2m). important systematic characters were not Short brachial pillar present. Broad, deep included in the original description. Our excavation present between funnel adduc- specimens, besides coming from the re- tor muscles. Bridles extend to mid-region gion of the type locality, have features of head, nearly to level of eye rostra. that generally agree with the type de- Olfactory organs posterolateral to eyes on scription, with a few exceptions. The long slender stalks. exceptions and missing details, however, Funnel locking-apparatus oval without cannot be checked as the types are tragus but with bilobed antitragus missing, according to a personal commu- (Fig. 2d, e); lateral lobe of antitragus nication from O. Israelsson at the Zool- broader; low channel between lobes ogiska Museet, Uppsala University where extends to edge of cartilage. Funnel valve the types are accessioned. Fortunately, 590 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON illustrations of the more intact type were made by an artist at the United States National Museum of Natural History many years ago. These illustrations, which we have located (Fig. 2f, g), show a peculiar shape to the antitragus of the Pacific Pacific funnel-locking cartilage (Fig. 2f). We were immediately struck by its similarity to that of our specimens (Fig. 2g, e). To No North Atlantic, tropical Yes Atlantic, tropical determine the systematic value of the shape of the antitragus, we have exam- ined the antitragus of as many species of Planctoteuthis as are available to us. We presently recognize five species in the asymmetrical symmetrical genus (Table 1): P. danae (Joubin 1931), Short, Symmetrical No Tropical Pacific Symmetrical No Tropical Pacific Long, P. oligobessa (Young 1972), P. levimana ML) Symmetrical No South Indian (Lo¨nnberg, 1896), P. exopthalmica (Chun of ML) Club Shape Club Keel Distribution % % % 1908) and P. lippula (Chun 1908). Pfeffer % % % 36 (1912) included Chiroteuthis planctonica 5 40–45 in his subgenus Planctoteuthis.However, the absence of distinctly protruding eyes in his specimen, a 6.4 mm ML paralarva, suggests that his species belongs in Chiroteuthis. Of the species we recognize, the first three are known from subadults and the latter two from paralarvae. Planctoteuthis oligobessa has a distinct species. and simple antitragus of the form we previously thought to be typical of the broad genus (Fig. 2h). A subadult of P. lippula Single; slender 23–33 Single or slight double; low, Double; lobes unequal 40 that we examined from the western North Atlantic has a low antitragus with just Planctoteuthis a hint of division into two lobes (Fig. 2i). Planctoteuthis danae has a double anti- tragus rather similar to, but more pro- nounced than, that of our specimens (Fig.