Clawed Calamary Squid

Onychoteuthis banksii (Leach, 1817)

DIAGNOSIS.—Mantle robust, muscular. Fins rhomboidal, length 55%–65% ML, width 65%–78% ML, apical angle 70°–90°. Nuchal folds 9 or 10 pairs. Arm formula II = III = IV > I, length 35%–45% ML. Tentacle club slightly expanded, length 25%–35% ML, 13–15 small suckers on dactylus, 20–22 hooks on manus in 2 rows, well-defined fixing apparatus with 8–10 suckers and 7–9 pads. Large luminous patch on ventral periphery of each eye. Two large, round, bulbous light organs in ventral mantle cavity, 1 on ink duct behind anal papilla, 1 on ink sac, latter twice as large as former. Medium-sized species maturing at about 150–200 mm ML.

ORIGINAL DESCRIPTION.—Leach, 1817:141.

TYPE LOCALITY.—Gulf of Guinea, west coast of Africa (cf. Leach, 1818:395).

DEPOSITION OF TYPE.—Holotype: Natural History Museum, London, England; not available in the workshop.

Paratypes: None.

DISTRIBUTION.—World-wide in tropical and subtropical oceanic waters.