Sepia opipara (Iredale 1926)

Sepia opipara (Iredale, 1926)

See Lu (1998a).

Sepia orbignyana Férussac in Orbigny, 1826

ILLUSTRATIONS.—Adam and Rees, 1966, pl. 21: figs. 134–137.

DIAGNOSIS.—Mantle strongly projecting dorsally; posterior end of mantle with prominent tip between fin lobes (skin-covered spine of sepion). Tentacular club short, with suckers in 5 to 6 rows, middle series with 3 to 4 greatly enlarged suckers. Sepion long-oval, with distinct lateral wings and very prominent spine. Anterior striae very broadly M-shaped.

ORIGINAL REFERENCE.—Orbigny, 1826:156.

TYPE LOCALITY.—France, La Rochelle.

TYPES.—Holotype: Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 1.4.88, sepion, 88 mm.

Paratypes: None.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION.—Eastern Atlantic from Bay of Biscay to 17°S, including Mediterranean.

Sepia opipara (Iredale, 1926)

Glyptosepia opipara Iredale, 1926a:191. [Holotype, AM C133330, 106.7 mm SL (116.5 mm including spine), Masthead Island, Capricorn Group, Qld (23°32′S, 151°44′E).]

DIAGNOSIS.—Anterior dorsal mantle margin projecting to midlevel of eyes; ventral margin slightly emarginate. Tentacular club (Figure 16a) short, swimming membrane extended beyond base of club. Protective membranes well developed, not fused at base of club. Median club with suckers in 8 series, 4 to 5 large suckers, 2nd proximal sucker largest; obliquely, 1 small lateral sucker and 1 minute marginal sucker dorsal to largest sucker, 1 small lateral sucker and 4 minute marginal suckers ventral to it. Suckers proximal and distal to large suckers small. Arm suckers quadriserial. Left arm IV of male hectocotylized with basal 5 or 6 rows of suckers normal, followed distally by 6 or 7 rows of suckers reduced in size, remaining distal suckers normal. Suckers in each row arranged in 2 pairs of widely spaced suckers, ventral suckers smaller.

Sepion (Figure 16b–e) elongate-oval, twice as long as broad. Dorsal surface coarsely pustulose, flat with distinctly raised, rounded median rib, lateral ribs distinct. Ventral surface with shallow, narrow median groove. Anterior swelling (last loculus) pronounced. Striated zone long, StrZI 73, in figured specimen (Figure 16e) striae slightly arched. Inner cone with narrow limbs, fused with outer cone. Outer cone enlarged posteriorly, forming 2 poorly developed, calcareous wings united by chitinous membrane between spine and inner cone. Spine long, ventrally keeled.

ORIGINAL REFERENCE.—Iredale, 1926a:191, pl. 22: figs. 7, 8.

TYPE LOCALITY.—Masthead Island, Capricorn Group, Qld (23°32′S, 151°44′E).

TYPE.—Holotype: AM C133330, by original designation, sepion only, 106.7 mm SL (116.5 mm including spine) (Figure 16b,c).

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION.—Northern Australia from Dirk Hartog Island, WA (25°45′S, 113°03′E), to southern Qld (36°57′S, 151°45′E), at depths of 83–184 m.