Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Protostomia
Cladus: Spiralia
Cladus: Lophotrochozoa
Phylum: Mollusca
Classis: Cephalopoda
Subclassis: Coleoidea
Cohors: Neocoleoidea
Superordo: Decapodiformes
Ordo: Teuthida
Subordo: Myopsina
Familia: Australiteuthidae
Genus: Australiteuthis
Species: Australiteuthis aldrichi
Name
Australiteuthis aldrichi Lu, 2005: 72
Type locality: 14°07.30’S 28°02.00’ E, Joseph Bonaparte Gulf, Western Australia.
References
Lu, C.C. 2005: A new family of myopsid squid from Australasian waters (Cephlopoda: Teuthida). Phuket Marine Biological Center Research Bulletin, 66: 71–82, figs 1–9.
A. aldrichi is a small species of squid found in northern Australian waters. The species was described by Chung Cheng Lu in 2005 based on specimens collected in the inshore waters of Northern Australia. The largest known individual of this species is a mature female measuring 27.6 mm (1.09 in) in mantle length (ML). The holotype is a mature male of 21.3 mm (0.84 in) ML. A live specimen of A. aldrichi has yet to be recorded.
A. aldrichi is a member of the class Cephalopoda and part of the subclass Coleoidea. Within this class there are two orders, the Myopsida and the Oegopsida, which both fall under the superorder Decapodiformes. A. aldrichi falls under the order of Myopsida, and is the only member of its genus, Australiteuthis, and the family, Australiteuthidae.
Order
The Myopsida order is made up of two families, the Australiteuthidae and Loliginidae. The squid which fall under the order of Myopsida are nertic squid that typically dwell in shallow waters and appear in large schools. Within the family of Loliginidae, species such as the Loligo forbesii, also known as the veined and long-finned squid, may reach sizes up to 90 cm (35 in) in mantle length.[2] A. aldrichi, however, are much more similar in size to members of the genus Pickfordiateuthis,[3] more commonly known as dwarf squid, as males of the A. aldrichi species have been observed to reach 17 mm (0.67 in) in mantle length at a fully mature state.
Characteristics of Myopsida
Members of the Myopsida order exhibit the following characteristics:[2]
Arms and tentacles that contain circular muscles.
Tentacles that are clubbed without a proximal locking-apparatus.
The head contains tentacle pockets.
The eyes contain a corneal membrane covering lens instead of a secondary eyelid.
A funnel that does not contain adductor muscles.
A mantle which contains a mantle locking apparatus.
A shell underneath the mantle.
Viscera and gills with a branchial canal.
Eggs that contain a large external yolk sac.
Habitat
Documented locations of Australiteuthis in Australia
Specimens of A. aldrich have been found in the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf of Western Australia, the inshore waters of the Northern Territory of Australia as well as the Gulf of Papua in New Guinea. (PNG). It has been theorized that the species may live along the coastal regions in Australia and Papua New Guinea.[4] The species has never been found alive and is only known from a handful of specimens collected in these areas. These A. aldrichi specimens were collected at depths between 9 metres (30 ft) to 61 metres (200 ft) by fishermen using beam trawls. It has also been speculated that the species may be a benthic squid but it is not yet truly known.[4]
Biology
A. aldrichi have been found at depths ranging from 9 metres (30 ft) to 61 metres (200 ft) and are speculated to live within the benthic zone. From the specimens collected, mature males may have a mantle length of 17 millimetres (1.7 cm) and mature females may have a mantle length of over 22 millimetres (2.2 cm).[5] The species has large, separate, round fins with free anterior and posterior lobes as well as a large dumbbell-shaped photophore.[5] Other biological features of the species include a deep tentacular pocket, tricuspid rachidial teeth, a lack of aquiferous pores in the cornea, eyes covered with a transparent cornea, and a photophore on the ink sac. The species is classified in the order Myopsida because of its shared characteristic of a corneal membrane.
References
Julian Finn (2016). "Australiteuthis aldrichi Lu, 2005". World Register of Marine Species. Flanders Marine Institute. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
Vecchione, Michael and Richard E. Young. 2016. Myopsida Naef, 1916. Version 29 August 2016. http://tolweb.org/Myopsida/52670/2016.08.29 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org
{Vecchione, Michael. 2008. Pickfordiateuthis Voss, 1953. Grass squid. Version 04 March 2008 (under construction). http://tolweb.org/Pickfordiateuthis/19861/2008.03.04
Jereb, P., Roper, C.F.E. & Vecchione, M. (2010). Family Australiteuthidae. P. Jereb & C.F.E. Roper, eds. Cephalopods of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of species known to date. Volume 2. Myopsid and Oegopsid Squids. FAO Species Catalogue for Fishery Purposes. No. 4, Vol. 2. Rome, FAO. pp. 35-37. http://www.fao.org/docrep/014/i1920e/i1920e.pdf
http://tolweb.org/Australiteuthis_aldrichi/52671/2005.09.20 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/
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