Under Construction

Enoploteuthis leptura (Leach, 1817)

Richard E. Young, Clyde F. E. Roper, and Kotaro Tsuchiya
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
Containing group: Enoploteuthis

Introduction

Enoploteuthis leptura is designated the type species of the genus.

Characteristics

  1. Arms
    1. Arm hooks on arms I-III (45-79 mm ML): 22-27.
    2. Arm hooks on arms IV (45-79 mm ML, male and female): 32-39.
    3. Males with numerous, minute papillae over oral surfaces of arms I-III.
    4. Hectocotylus: Right arm IV with expanded ventral protective membrane (=flap) in distal third of arm opposite about 6 pairs of hooks. Dorsal protective membrane expands slightly into a series of small flaps opposite the large flap of the ventral membrane.
      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 the distal third of the hectocotylus of E. leptura, 79 mm ML. western North Atlantic off Florida. Drawing from Roper (1966).

  2. Tentacles
    1. Tentacles short, thin.
    2. Clubs not expanded. Manus with 2 series of hooks: ventral series with 6-7 larger hooks, dorsal series with 4-5 smaller hooks. Dactylus with suckers in two series totalling 10-15 suckers. Carpal cluster long and narrow.
      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 the tentacular club of E. leptura. Drawing from Roper (1966).

  3. Integumental photophores
    1. Ventral mantle with six complex photophore series anteriorly. A seventh series in ventral midline doesn't reach anterior mantle margin but curves to join one nearby medial series to either the right or left. Ventral, anterior margin of mantle with discontinuous row of photophores; gaps correspond to spaces between photophore series on mantle.
    2. Ventral head with six photophore series (excluding eyelid series). Lateral-most series broken by ventral window in skin. No photophores present between the latter and the eyelid series.

Comments

The above description is from Roper (1966).

Life History

Age and growth

Based on statolith increments, E. leptura in Gulf of Guinea shows early maturation of males (at age 45-60 days) and females (at 80-90 days). Maximum age is 153 days in mature males of 72 mm DML, and 143 days in mature females of 92 mm DML (Arkhipkin, 1994).

Spawning

In the Gulf of Guinea, two peaks of spawning were recognized between January and September (Arkhipkin, 1994).

Distributiion

Type locality - Tropical Atlantic Ocean off West Africa at 01°08'N, 07°26'30"E.

Geographical distribution - Tropical Atlantic from Bermuda and Madeira to Brazil and southwestern Africa (Nesis, 1982/87).

References

Arkhipkin, A.I. 1994. Age, growth and maturation of the squid Enoploteuthis leptura (Oegopsida: Enoploteuthidae) form the central-east Atlantic. Journal of Molluscan Studies, 60:1-8.

Nesis, K. N. 1982. Abridged key to the cephalopod mollusks of the world's ocean. 385+ii pp. Light and Food Industry Publishing House, Moscow. (In Russian.). Translated into English by B. S. Levitov, ed. by L. A. Burgess (1987), Cephalopods of the world. T. F. H. Publications, Neptune City, NJ, 351pp.

Roper, C.F.E., 1966. A study of the genus Enoploteuthis (Cephalopoda: Oegopsida) in the Atlantic Ocean with a description of the type species, E. leptura (Leach, 1817). Dana Report, 66:1-46.

Title Illustrations
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
Scientific Name Enoploteuthis leptura
Location Northeastern Atlantic off West Africa.
Reference Roper, C.F.E., 1966. A study of the genus Enoploteuthis (Cephalopoda: Oegopsida) in the Atlantic Ocean with a description of the type species, E. leptura (Leach, 1817). Dana Report, 66:1-46.
Sex Female
View Ventral
Size 45 mm ML
Copyright © 1966 Carlsberg Foundation
About This Page


University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA


Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D. C., USA


Tokyo University of Fisheries, Tokyo, Japan

Page: Tree of Life Enoploteuthis leptura (Leach, 1817). Authored by Richard E. Young, Clyde F. E. Roper, and Kotaro Tsuchiya. 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., Clyde F. E. Roper, and Kotaro Tsuchiya. 2009. Enoploteuthis leptura (Leach, 1817). Version 23 July 2009 (under construction). http://tolweb.org/Enoploteuthis_leptura/19722/2009.07.23 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/

edit this page
close box

This page is a Tree of Life Leaf Page.

Each ToL leaf page provides a synopsis of the characteristics of a group of organisms representing a leaf at the tip of the Tree of Life. The major distinction between a leaf and a branch of the Tree of Life is that a leaf cannot generally be further subdivided into subgroups representing distinct genetic lineages.

For a more detailed explanation of the different ToL page types, have a look at the Structure of the Tree of Life page.

close box

Enoploteuthis leptura

Page Content

articles & notes

collections

people

Explore Other Groups

random page

  go to the Tree of Life home page
top