Eustomias teuthidopsis Gibbs, Clarke & Gomon 1983

View data on Catalog of Fishes here.

The following is a description of the holotype and only known specimen from Gibbs et al. (1983).

Female, 190.7 mm SL, with moderately large eggs (to 0.3 mm). D 25. A 36. PI 3. P2 7. Body almost completely skinned; photophores cannot be counted. Branchiostegal photophores 10. Premaxillary teeth 14 right, probably also left: from anterior to posterior, a long fixed tooth followed by a long space, a fixed fang followed by a moderate space, a short-to-long series of 2 fixed and 2 depressible teeth, a short-to-moderate series of 1 fixed and 3 depressible teeth, and 4 short depressible teeth. Maxilla with about 24 short, slanting, serra-like teeth. Mandibular teeth 18 left, damaged right: from anterior to posterior, a short depressible symphysial tooth followed by a moderate space, a fixed fang followed by a moderate space, a long depressible tooth, a short-to-long series of 1 fixed and 2 depressible teeth, 2 short depressible teeth, a short–to–moderate series of 3 depressible teeth, 3 missing teeth and 1 short depressible tooth. Vertebrae 67.

Measurements (in mm): Predorsal length 161.4, preanal length 139.7, prepelvic length 111.5, head length 23.5, barbel length 169.6, terminal-bulb length 1.5, filament length 2.8, snout length 11.5, fleshy orbit damaged, postorbital-organ length 1.0, lower–jaw length 20.6, upper-jaw length 19.0, depth behind head (greatest depth) 10.7, caudal-peduncle least depth 2.2, pectoral and pelvic fins damaged, dorsal-base length 22.7, postorbital-organ length 45.2, longest premaxillary tooth 2.5, longest mandibular tooth 2.1. Barbel described mostly in diagnosis. Bulb an irregular long ovoid. Axes of all filaments moderately speckled. Two large filaments without bulblets; most others with 1 or a few; thinner filaments with swellings caused by bulblets and bulblet-tipped or with a filament distal to the bulblet.

A single terminal bulb 0.8% SL. Barbel length long, 89% SL. About 13 short terminal filaments (1.5% SL, 1.8 times bulb length); 2 filaments notably thicker than others, with blunt distal ends and with few or no bulblets. Axis of stem lightly peppered with melanophores; a small dark spot at base of terminal bulb; groups of small melanophores forming external spots just proximal to bulb. External chevron-shaped or roundish striated areas unpigmented. Number of paired spots along dorsum unknown.

The only known specimen was taken at 11°37'S, 160°00'W, in the South Pacific near the Cook islands.

The holotype and only known specimen is 190.7 mm SL.

South Pacific, near Cook Islands, 11°37'S, 160°00'W, depth 0-171 meters.

Holotype: USNM 223719.

A single terminal bulb 0.8% SL. Barbel length long 89% SL. Short terminal filaments ca 13, 1.8 times bulb length; 2 filaments notably thicker than others, with blunt distal ends and with few or no bulblets. Axis of stem lightly peppered with melanophores; a small dark spot at the base of terminal bulb; groups of small melanophores forming external spots just proximal to bulb. External chevron-shaped or roundish striated areas unpigmented. Number of paired spots unknown (Ref. 11333).

Dorsal soft rays (total): 25; Analsoft rays: 36; Vertebrae: 67

Eustomias teuthidopsis

DIAGNOSIS.—A single terminal bulb 0.8% SL. Barbel length long, 89% SL. About 13 short terminal filaments (1.5% SL, 1.8 times bulb length); 2 filaments notably thicker than others, with blunt distal ends and with few or no bulblets. Axis of stem lightly peppered with melanophores; a small dark spot at base of terminal bulb; groups of small melanophores forming external spots just proximal to bulb. External chevron-shaped or roundish striated areas unpigmented. Number of paired spots along dorsum unknown.

DESCRIPTION OF HOLOTYPE.—Female, 190.7 mm SL, with moderately large eggs (to 0.3 mm). D 25. A 36. P1 3. P2 7. Body almost completely skinned; photophores cannot be counted. Branchiostegal photophores 10. Premaxillary teeth 14 right, probably also left: from anterior to posterior, a long fixed tooth followed by a long space, a fixed fang followed by a moderate space, a short-to-long series of 2 fixed and 2 depressible teeth, a short-to-moderate series of 1 fixed and 3 depressible teeth, and 4 short depressible teeth. Maxilla with about 24 short, slanting, serra-like teeth. Mandibular teeth 18 left, damaged right: from anterior to posterior, a short depressible symphysial tooth followed by a moderate space, a fixed fang followed by a moderate space, a long depressible tooth, a short-to-long series of 1 fixed and 2 depressible teeth, 2 short depressible teeth, a short-to-moderate series of 3 depressible teeth, 3 missing teeth and 1 short depressible tooth. Vertebrae 67.

Measurements (in mm): Predorsal length 161.4, preanal length 139.7, prepelvic length 111.5, head length 23.5, barbel length 169.6, terminal-bulb length 1.5, filament length 2.8, snout length 11.5, fleshy orbit damaged, postorbital-organ length 1.0, lower-jaw length 20.6, upper-jaw length 19.0, depth behind head (greatest depth) 10.7, caudal-peduncle least depth 2.2, pectoral and pelvic fins damaged, dorsal-base length 22.7, anal-base length 45.2, longest premaxillary tooth 2.5, longest mandibular tooth 2.1.

Barbel described mostly in diagnosis. Bulb an irregular long ovoid. Axes of all filaments moderately speckled. Two large filaments without bulblets; most others with 1 or a few; thinner filaments with swellings caused by bulblets and bulblet-tipped or with a filament distal to the bulblet.

SIMILAR SPECIES.—Of the Nominostomias species with single terminal bulbs and multiple terminal filaments, bulbornatus, pacificus, and vitiazi have longer filaments with different structure and arrangement; cancriensis has fewer filaments that are simpler and without bulblets. Perhaps the most similar species is cirritus, which has only 3 short, much-branched filaments that have numerous small bulblets causing swellings. The barbel length in teuthidopsis is longer than any of these other species (89% SL vs. 60% maximum), and the 2 thick, blunt filaments and the external spots preceding the bulb are unique.

In comparable species with 2 terminal bulbs and multiple filaments the filaments are either longer and differently structured (e.g., medusa) or fewer and simple, without bulblets.

DISTRIBUTION.—The only known specimen was taken at 11°37′S, 160°00′W, in the South Pacific near the Cook islands (Figure 43).

ETYMOLOGY.—From the Greek teuthis, -idos (squid) plus the adjectival suffix -opsis (having the appearance of), teuthidopsis alludes to the terminal filaments, which resemble the arms and enlarged pair of tentacles of squid.

MATERIAL EXAMINED.—Holotype: USNM 223719 (, 190.7), 11°37′S, 160°00′W, 0–171 m, 2001–2101, 9 Sep 1956.