FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes Western

Sepiidae 759
Sepia cultrata Hoyle, 1885
En - Knifebone cuttlefish.
Left ventral arm of male hectocotylized: suckers normal
proximally, followed by reduced suckers, then
remaining suckers normal to tip of arm; reduction
marked, 2 dorsal and 2 ventral series widely spaced, 2
dorsal series smaller than 2 ventral series.
Tentacular club with 5 or 6 suckers in transverse rows;
suckers approximately of similar size, small; swimming
keel extending well beyond club sucker-bearing face;
dorsal and ventral protective membranes not fused at
base of club. Cuttlebone triangular anteriorly; median rib
distinct; spine present; sulcus indistinct; striae slightly
convex-straight; inner cone limbs of uniform width, very
narrow, thickened posteriorly forming a rounded ridge.
Outer shelf and upper bathyl species, at depths from
132 to 803 m (majority of catches from 300 to 500 m).
Species taken as bycatch of prawn and mixed species
trawl fisheries. Southern Australia.
Sepia madokai Adam, 1939
En - Madokais cuttlefish; Fr - Seiche madokai; Sp - Sepia
madokai.
Maximum mantle length 80 mm. Left ventral arm of
males hectocotylized: suckers normal proximally,
followed by 10 rows of reduced suckers, then rest
normal to arm tip; 2 dorsal series of reduced
suckers smaller than 2 ventral series. Tentacular
club sucker-bearing face flattened, with 8 equal-sized,
small suckers in transverse rows. Cuttlebone dorsal
surface pinkish; spine present without keel(s); anterior
striae inverted U-shape; inner cone limbs
approximately of uniform width, very slender,
thickened, forming a rounded ridge posteriorly. Colour:
dorsal mantle without distinct markings, brownish with
some whitish blotches, or spots. A demersal species,
most common in bays. Commonly confused with Sepia
acuminata and S. rex. A minor object of fisheries in
Japan and China. East and South China Sea.
?
10 mm
dorsal view
cuttlebone
10 mm
ventral view
ventral view
cuttlebone tentacular club
(after Okutani et al., 1987)