“Galiteuthis Joubin, 1898
Galiteuthis Joubin, 1898: 279. Type species, by monotypy: Galiteuthis armata Joubin, 1898: 279. Type specimen deposited, Museum of Natural History, Nice. Examined; poor, very fragile condition.
Taonidium Pfeffer, 1900: 192. Type species, by monotypy: Taonius suhmi Hoyle, 1886: 192. Type specimen deposited, British Museum (Nat. Hist.), BM 90.1.24.19. Single remaining syntype examined (CHALLENGER Sta. 159); poor condition.
Crystalloteuthis Chun, 1906: 85. Type species, by monotypy: Crystalloteuthis glacialis Chun, 1906: 85. Type specimen deposited, Zoological Museum, Humboldt University, Berlin. Not examined.
Phasmatoteuthion Pfeffer, 1912: 728. Type species, by monotypy: Taonius richardi Joubin, 1895: 46. Type specimen deposited, Institute of Oceanography Museum, Monaco. Examined; poor condition.
Cristalloteuthis Naef, 1921: 49. Erroneus spelling of Crystalloteuthis Chun, 1906.
Definition.—Moderately large cranchiids; mantle long, slender, broadest in anterior half, tapering posteriorly to slender point; mantle wall thin, muscular, and, in subadults and adults may or may not bear numerous cartilaginous tubercles over outer surface; tubercles may or may not be present at anterior end of roughly comma-shaped funnel-mantle fusion cartilages and of broad, triangular nuchal fusion cartilage; fins terminal, medium to long, lanceolate, becoming attenuate to varying degrees posteriorly and extending as low delicate fringe to end of gladius, anterior lobes lacking (in larva, except for very early stage, fins with intervening stout gladial spine); except for anteriormost margin, anterior fin insertions on posterolateral margins of lanceola; medium-sized funnel extends approximately to mideye level; dorsal pad of funnel organ roughly inverted U-shaped with three large, slightly flattened papillae (one on each lateral arm and one centered on mid-anterior portion); small to medium-sized, oval ventral pads; funnel valve absent; head dominated by large, protruding, anterolaterally oriented eyes; ventral surface of eyes with two photophores (large, cresent-shaped posterior photophore with small, crescent-shaped or nearly round anterior photophore within its concavity) (in larva, head with short to medium arm pillar; arms very short of approximate coequal length; eyes oval without ventral rostrum, on short to medium stalks); olfactory organ small, cup-shaped, short-stalked; arms short, muscular with formula IV ≈ III > II > I in adult females, IV = III > II > I or I > II > IV ≈ III in adult males (IV > III > II > I in juveniles); well developed trabeculate protective membranes more expanded on ventral margins of all arms; low aboral keel present on I–III, lateral keel on IV; moderately large suckers largest on midportions of all arms; rings smooth or with flat, square, rounded or pointed teeth on distal and lateral margins; in large males, terminal portions of I and II may be secondarily modified (two rows of abruptly reduced, small suckers) or, I may become very elongate and II less so; in near-mature and mature females, brachial end-organs absent; short to medium length tentacles muscular with two rows of carpal suckers set in pairs on distal two-thirds to three-quarters of stalk; carpal cluster present; short, slightly expanded club with four to eight pairs of median suckers on manus modified with growth into large, hooded hooks (in juvenile, forming hooks appear at about 35-60 mm ML); suckers of marginal rows greatly reduced or lost; moderately developed, weakly trabeculate protective membrane on both margins; small dorsal keel present or absent; digestive gland stout, spindle-shaped; digestive duct appendages confined to posterodorsal surface of digestive gland or may extend entire length of long digestive duct; gladius with long, slender rachis bordered on approximate distal half by long, narrow vanes that roll inward posteriorly, overlap and, with or without fusing, extend into hollow, needle-like conus.
Distribution.—Circumglobal Antarctic to subarctic waters. Subsurface waters to approximately 1,500 m.”
(Voss, 1980: 394-392)
Galiteuthis is a genus of glass squids from the family Cranchiidae and the subfamily Taoniinae. Squids in the genus Galiteuthis are large squids with mantle lengths measuring up to 660mm, although it has been suggested that mantle length could reach as much as 2.7m. The most distinctive feature of the speciesa in this genus are they have hooks on the tentacular clubs while there are no hooks on the arms, and by their long, thin, terminal fins.[2]
The genus contains bioluminescent species.[3]
Five species are currently recognised:[1]
Galiteuthis is a genus of glass squids from the family Cranchiidae and the subfamily Taoniinae. Squids in the genus Galiteuthis are large squids with mantle lengths measuring up to 660mm, although it has been suggested that mantle length could reach as much as 2.7m. The most distinctive feature of the speciesa in this genus are they have hooks on the tentacular clubs while there are no hooks on the arms, and by their long, thin, terminal fins.
The genus contains bioluminescent species.
