FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes Western

766 Cephalopods
Loligo reesi (Voss, 1962), a form that matures at a small size (less than 80 mm mantle length) known only
from the Philippines which has long square-tipped arm sucker teeth, both ventral arms hectocotylized in
males (left with papillae along more than 50% arm length and right with much reduced suckers on the distal
half) and the the tips of both ventral arms in males devoid of suckers and papillae. The existing descriptions
do not mention the presence of light organs;
Loligo vossi Nesis, 1982 [= species A of Voss (1963)], reaching 140 mm mantle length and reported from
around the Philippines and northern Indian Ocean perifery, with 15 to 20 triangular teeth on the large
tentacular suckers, 2 to 4 on the distal edge much larger, sharp and hook-like in Philippine specimens.
Only the left ventral arm is hectocotylized in males by the development of long fleshy papillae along 40 to
50% of the arm. The existing descriptions do not mention the presence of light organs;
Loligo n.sp. of Chotiyaputta (1993), a form that matures at a small size (less than 60 mm mantle length)
known only from the Gulf of Thailand which has long square-tipped arm sucker teeth and sharp conical
widely spaced subequal teeth on the large tentacular sucker rings. The existing incomplete description
does not mention the presence of light organs;
Photololigo spp. 1, 2, 3 of Yeatman and Benzie, 1994, are “species” which have been distinguished using
allozyme electrophoresis. Morphological characteristics of species 1 and 2 from northern Australia (which
mature at less than 120 mm mantle length) fall within the range of the “Photololigo edulis” complex with
square tipped teeth on the arm sucker rings, sharp conical teeth on the large tentacular sucker rings and
hectocotylization by development of long fleshy papillae along more than 50% of the left ventral arm in
males. Species 3 is a larger maturing form (more than 150 mm mantle length) which falls within the
“Photololigo chinensis” complex with a broad, robust mantle and large head and arms; sharp conical
toothed sucker rings on the arms and large sharp conical teeth interspersed with smaller ones on the large
tentacular sucker rings. All species have paired light organs adjacent to the rectum on the ink sac.
It is recommended that samples of animals (including mature males and females where available) which
cannot be identified readily from the key should be preserved in formalin or alcohol, labelled with location,
date of capture, depth and means of capture, and name of collector, sealed in a plastic bag and sent to an
expert for identification. Major regional cephalopod collections and cephalopod specialists are at the
Museum of Victoria (Invertebrate Zoology), Swanston Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000 Australia and at the
National Science Museum, 3-23-1 Hyakunincho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169, Japan. Material marked “squid
for scientific study” may also be sent for identification to Dr Malcolm Dunning, Fisheries Group, Queensland,
Department of Primary Industries, GPO Box 3129, Brisbane, Queensland 4001, Australia.
Key to the species of Loliginidae occurring in the area
1a. Mantle very long, narrow, its posterior end drawn out into a long, pointed tail, especially
in males; posterior border of fins strongly concave, extend part way or entirely along tail
as narrow membranes (Fig. 1a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Uroteuthis bartschi
1b. Mantle elongate or short, relatively robust, its posterior end pointed or rounded, but
never produced into an elongate, pointed tail; posterior border of fins straight, slightly
concave, or rounded (Fig. 1b-d) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . → 2
tail long,
pointed
heart-shaped
fins
rhombic
fins
a) Uroteuthis bartschi b) Loliolus c) Photololigo d) Sepioteuthis
Fig. 1 characteristic fin shapes of loliginid genera (dorsal view)
(after Adam, 1984; Voss, 1963; Okutani, 1995)
fins
long,
broad