Notonykia africanae

Notonykia africanae is known from a maximum size of 177 mm ML, but mature squid are unknown.  It occurs in the southern Pacific and Atlantic Oceans off South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

Tentacles

  1. Tentacle length ~70% ML
  2. Carpus with 10-12 suckers
  3. Largest ventral hooks robust, 'C'-shaped to nearly semicircular in lateral profile

Figure.  Oral view, left tentacle club of Notonykia africanae, 177 mm ML. Photograph by K. Bolstad. 

Figure.  Ventral view, left tentacle club of Notonykia africanae, 177 mm ML. Photograph by K. Bolstad. 

Head

    1. Beaks: Descriptions can be found here: Lower beak; upper beak.

Comments

Except for the photographs, this description is from Nesis et al. (1998) and Bolstad (2007).

 

Notonykia africanae is thought to be circumpolar in the subantarctic region between 30° - 53°S (Nesis, et al., 1998).

Figure. Distribution chart of N. africanae. The map includes the location of the type series and literature records from Nesis et al. (1998). Chart modified from Nesis (1998)

At 18 mm ML the gladius in Notonykia africanae is visible dorsally only between the fins; the rostrum of the gladius, in contrast to species of Onychoteuthis, is not needle-like and does not appear to pierce the skin. Positive identification of juveniles depends on the appearance of occipital folds. Only three occipital folds are visible by 18 mm ML. These data are from Nesis et al., 1998.

Figure. Apparent growth stages of N. africanae. A, B - Dorsal views of squid of 9.5 (A) and 14.5 mm ML (B); these paralarvae are only assumed to be N. africanae. C, D - Ventral and dorsal views, paratype, 73 mm ML. Scale bar is 5 mm for Figs. A and B, 1 cm for Fig. D. Drawings modified from Nesis, et al. (1998).

Nesis, K. N., M. A. C. Roeleveld and I. V. Nikitina. 1998. A new genus and species of onychoteuthid squid from the Southern Ocean. Ruthenica 8:153-168.

Bolstad, K.S. 2007. Systematics and distribution of the New Zealand onychoteuthid fauna (Cephalopoda: Oegopsida), including a new species, Notonykia nesisi sp. nov. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries 17:305-335.