“Alluroteuthis antarcticus Odhner, 1923
OTHER SCIENTIFIC NAMES STILL IN USE:
Parateuthis tunicata Thiele, 1921
? Crystalloteuthis glacialis Clarke, 1980
VERNACULAR NAMES:
FAO/CCAMLR:
En - Antarctic neosquid
Fr - Louténe australe
Ru - Antarkticheskyi myagkotelyi kalmar
Sp - Neoluria antártica
NATIONAL:
DISTINCTIVE CHARACTER:
Mantle conical. Fins oval, anterior lobes absent, posterior lobes free. Head and eyes large; buccal connectives attach to dorsal borders of arms IV. Funnel-locking cartilage straight, simple. No photophores. Tentacles relatively thin; clubs with 6 to 8 enlarged suckers on median rows of manus, many rows of very small, extremely numerous suckers on carpus, with a few pairs of suckers/knobs extending proximally along the stalk; arms robust; suckers on arms biserial, those on arm IV reduced in size.
Lower beak: has hood with a broad notch and lies close to crest; thickened wing fold with ridge has characteristic shape in profile and obscures jaw angle from side; jaw angle acute or recessed; crest broad and thickened; no fold or ridge on lateral wall.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERS OF SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRING IN THE AREA:
Several families (Histioteuthidae, Bathyteuthidae and Psychroteithidae) have similar general characters, but can be differentiated as follows:
Histioteuthis species (Histioteuthidae): photophores present on mantle.
Bathyteuthis abyssicola (Bathyteuthidae): photophores present at bases of arms.
Psychroteuthis glacialis (Psychroteuthidae): posterior fin attachment concave.
SIZE:
Maximum reported mantle length 11 cm.
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTIRBUTION AND BEHAVIOR:
All sectors of the Antarctic Ocean; circumpolar.
An oceanic species, occurring in depths between 750 and 2800 m. A prey of sperm whales, elephant and Weddell seals. The annual consumption of this species by sperm whales in the Antarctic is estimated to be about 0.01 × 106 t.
INTEREST TO FISHERIES:
Currently none.”
(Roper et al, 1985: 169-170)
The Antarctic neosquid (Alluroteuthis antarcticus) is the only neosquid in the genus Alluroteuthis.[2] The tentacles are relatively short compared to the arms.
Nils Hjalmar Odhner, discoverer of the species, suggested that Parateuthis tunicata, discovered by Johannes Thiele in 1920, might be a young Antarctic neosquid. The validity of this suggestion is still in question. The name is derived from its habitat in the Antarctic Ocean.
Alluroteuthis antarcticus occurs in from depths of 0–2,800 m (epipelagic and mesopelagic waters), and paralarvae can be found in the upper 200 m (epipelagic waters).[1] Its range may be circumpolar with an Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic distribution.[3]
It preys upon Antarctic krill, Antarctic silverfish and other squids.[1] However, Isotopic evidence suggests a diet in prey that are likely mesopelagic zooplankton that feed on sinking organic matter.[3]
The Antarctic neosquid (Alluroteuthis antarcticus) is the only neosquid in the genus Alluroteuthis. The tentacles are relatively short compared to the arms.
Nils Hjalmar Odhner, discoverer of the species, suggested that Parateuthis tunicata, discovered by Johannes Thiele in 1920, might be a young Antarctic neosquid. The validity of this suggestion is still in question. The name is derived from its habitat in the Antarctic Ocean.
