FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes Western

752 Cephalopods
Sepia rozella (Iredale, 1926)
Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: Solitosepia rozella
Iredale, 1926; Solitosepia rozella peregrina / None.
FAO names: En - Rosecone cuttlefish.
Diagnostic characters: Arm suckers tetraserial in both sexes.
Hectocotylus present, left ventral arms (IV) modified: suckers
reduced proximally for 2/5 of arm length; oral surface wide,
fleshy, with transversely grooved ridges and shallow median
furrow, thicker than corresponding portion on right ventral arm.
Tentacular club sucker-bearing face flattened, with 8 suckers in
transverse rows, differing markedly in size (third series from
dorsal margin larger than other suckers); swimming keel extending
well beyond sucker-bearing face; dorsal and ventral protective
membranes fused at base of club, separated from stalk by
membrane; dorsal protective membrane forms a deep cleft at
junction with stalk. Cuttlebone outline oblong (widest in middle);
blunt-pointed anteriorly and posteriorly; dorsal surface pinkish;
median rib present, distinct, wider anteriorly; lateral ribs indistinct;
spine with ventral keel; sulcus deep, wide, flanked by 2
strongly convex rounded ribs; anterior striae inverted V-shape;
inner cone limbs broaden posteriorly (rose-coloured), thickened
forming a slightly raised, rounded ledge from outer margin of inner
cone; outer cone narrow anteriorly, broadens posteriorly. Colour:
pinkish purple.
Size: Maximum mantle length 140 mm.
Habitat, biology, and fisheries: At depths from 27 to 183 m.
Species taken as bycatch of prawn and mixed species trawl
fisheries.
10 mm
Distribution: Eastern Australia. ventral view
cuttlebone