Sepia pardex Sasaki 1913

Sepia pardalis Sasaki, 1914

Sepia pardex Sasaki, 1913 [in Japanese] [fide Okutani et al., 1987:49].

DIAGNOSIS.—Mantle elongated, with 100 or more streaklike, well-defined spots on dorsal surface. Arms unequal, arm formula I > II > III > IV, left arm IV hectocotylized with suckers reduced on distal . Tentacular club with 8 rows of minute, subequal suckers. Sepion slender, lanceolate. Anterior striae M-shaped, marked with numerous streaks. Inner cone rim comparatively broad but flattened into slightly elevated, V-shaped ridge. Spine present.

ORIGINAL REFERENCE.—Sasaki, 1914:614, pl. 12: figs. 1–3. (The original description in Japanese appeared in Sasaki, 1913; see “Discussion.”)

TYPE LOCALITY.—Awa Province, Japan.

TYPES.—Holotype: Museum of the Science College, University Tokyo, No. 101, male, 231 mm ML.

Paratypes: None.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION.—Japan, Honshu (west of Boso Peninsula and at Toyama Bay) and Kyushu; southern Korea.

Sepia pardex is a species of cuttlefish native to the western Pacific Ocean, specifically off Japan, along the Pacific coast from the Chiba Peninsula, and along the Japan Sea coast from Toyama Bay to South Korea. It is also present off Taiwan and in the East China Sea. The depth range of this species is unknown.

Sepia pardex grows to a mantle length of 230 mm.

The type specimen was collected off Kajiyama, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. It is deposited at the University Museum of the University of Tokyo.