Abralia (Enigmoteuthis) fasciolata Tsuchiya 1991

Abralia fasciolata Tsuchiya, 1991

ORIGINAL REFERENCE.—Abralia fasciolata Tsuchiya, 1991:69, figs. 1–16, table 1.

DEPOSITION OF TYPES.—Holotype: USNM 817660, male, 24 mm ML, R/V Beinta sta 8–1 (GJS-28), western Indian Ocean, 11°14′06″N, 47°38′12″E, 15 Feb 1986, good condition.

Paratypes: USNM 817759, 41 specimens (including paratypes 1–3, 5–8), 21–37 mm ML, same lot as holotype. NSMT Mo-67140, male, 27 mm ML, same lot as holotype. NSMT Mo-67141, female, 31 mm ML, same lot as holotype. NSMT Mo-67142, 1 specimen, sex and size undetermined, same lot as holotype. NSMT Mo-67143, 1 specimen, sex and size undetermined, same lot as holotype.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION.—Gulf of Aden, Indian Ocean.

COMMENTS.—Adam (1973) placed Enoploteuthis dubia in a new genus, Enigmoteuthis, because it was unique in having buccal connectives that attach to the dorsal margins of arms III. Riddell (1985) expressed doubts that Enigmoteuthis and Abralia should be separate taxa. Tsuchiya (1991) noted that A. fasciolata, as well as A. marisarabica Okutani, 1983, also has connectives of this type. As a result, he placed Enigmoteuthis in the synonymy of Abralia, although he retained the taxon as a subgenus.

Abralia fasciolata is a species of enoploteuthid cephalopod that is only known from the Gulf of Aqaba. Mature males can reach a mantle length of 27 mm, with spermatophores 3–3.5 mm in length.