Histioteuthis cerasina Nesis 1971

Histioteuthis corona cerasina Nesis, 1971

Although H. c. cerasina has not been reported since the original study of nine juveniles, we located an additional 20 juveniles in the collections of the IOAN, MHNJP, and USNM from the Peru-Chile Current and the eastern and central equatorial Pacific. The following description is primarily based on the seven largest specimens, 34–57 mm ML, including the three type specimens.

DESCRIPTION.—Fins medium-sized, length ∼30%–40% ML, width ∼50%–68% ML; sucker rings on arms IV irregularly incised into low, blunt teeth; rings on enlarged median suckers on manus of tentacular club with about 50–60 uniformly small, narrow, sharp, conical teeth.

Circlet of 17 (rarely 18) photophores around right eye; photophores arranged in 3 longitudinal rows on basal portions of arms IV.

ORIGINAL REFERENCE.—Nesis, 1971:1463, figs. 1, 2.

TYPE LOCALITY.—Southeastern Pacific; 00°01′S, 84°59′W, 1500 m.

DEPOSITION OF TYPES.—Holotype: ZISP, uncataloged, female, 48 mm ML, R/V Akademik Kurchatov sta 219, 29 Aug 1968.

Paratypes: IOAN, 2 uncataloged specimens.

DISTRIBUTION.—Histioteuthis c. cerasina was described from the eastern Pacific, where it was collected in equatorial waters and the Peru-Chile Current between 00° and 24°S, 70°W and 85°W. Unreported captures from the same area and westward show the species’ range to extend to at least 155°W in equatorial waters (Figure 12). To the south at 35°S in the Peru-Chile Current, to the west in subtropical waters around northern New Zealand, and in the western tropical and subtropical Indian Ocean, a number of small juveniles of H. corona (subspecific identities are undetermined) have been taken (Voss, 1969; Retamal and Orellana, 1977; E. Förch, K. Nesis, and N. Voss, unpublished data). A detailed study of these and larger specimens from the areas will show whether H. c. cerasina has a trans-Pacific or trans-Pacific-Indian Ocean range in equatorial and south subtropical waters, or whether one or more additional subspecies of corona remain to be described. The possibility that some of the specimens may be intermediates between subspecies also exists. Over its known geographic range, H. c. cerasina has been taken in open ocean and in the vicinity of submarine ridges and continental slopes.

Open nets have captured early juveniles in the upper 300 m (including an 18 mm ML specimen caught at the surface at night) and have captured late juveniles at about 200–1000 m (nighttime) and at about 500–1500 m (daytime).