FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes Western

Sepiidae 747
Sepia papuensis Hoyle, 1885
Frequent synonyms / misidentifications:
Sepia galei Meyer, 1909; S. prionota Voss, 1962;
Solitosepia submestus Iredale, 1926; S. occidua
Cotton, 1929; S. genista Iredale, 1954; S. lana
Iredale, 1954 / None.
FAO names: En - Papuan cuttlefish.
Diagnostic characters: Papillae on head,
mantle and arms. Dorsal mantle with a row of
elongated tubercles along silvery stripe at base
of fins, or dorsal and ventral mantle covered with
numerous small papillae. Head with numerous
scattered small papillae and 2 pairs of large
papillae located over each eye and 1 on each
eyelid. Tubercles present on dorsal surface of
arms I to III. Arm protective membranes (both
sexes) wide, well developed. Male arms I to III
with tetraserial suckers proximally, biserial
suckers at distal tips; male arms IV with
tetraserial suckers. Female arms all tetraserial.
Hectocotylus absent. Tentacular club
sucker-bearing face flattened; with 5 or 6
suckers in transverse rows, differing
markedly in size; swimming keel extending well
beyond club; dorsal and ventral protective
membranes not fused in small specimens, fused
at base of club in large specimens, extending
beyond sucker-bearing face along stalk; dorsal
protective membrane much longer than
10 mm
ventral view
cuttlebone
tentacular club
(subadult)
(after Lu, in press)
ventral membrane, dorsal membrane forming deep cleft at junction with stalk. Cuttlebone rounded
anteriorly and posteriorly; median rib distinct, broadens anteriorly; spine with ventral keel; striated
zone and last loculus concave; sulcus shallow, wide; anterior striae inverted U-shape; inner cone limbs
broaden posteriorly, not thickened; outer cone narrow anteriorly, broadens posteriorly. Colour: dorsal
mantle pale brownish with white blotches or spots; paired dorsal eye spots present.
Size: Maximum mantle length 110 mm.
Habitat, biology, and fisheries: A shelf species found on silt, sand or mud bottoms, at depths from 17 to
155 m. Species taken as bycatch of prawn and mixed species trawl fisheries. In the Gulf of Carpentaria,
Australia, probably forms part of bycatch of Taiwanese trawl fisheries in the region.
Distribution: Philippines,
Indonesia, Arafura and Coral
seas, northern Australia.