European Journal of Taxonomy 105: 1–6
http://dx.doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2014.105
ISSN 2118-9773
www.europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu
2014 · Young R.E., Vecchione M. & Braid H.E.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research article
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:FCD51F6F-A5D6-4466-ADB6-0ADC9F560F66
Mastigotragus, a new generic name for Mastigoteuthis pyrodes
Young, 1972 (Cephalopoda: Mastigoteuthidae)
Richard E. YOUNG,1 Michael VECCHIONE 2 & Heather E. BRAID 3
1
University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. Email: dickphyllisyoung@gmail.com
NMFS National Systematics Laboratory, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA.
Email: vecchiom@si.edu
3
Institute for Applied Ecology New Zealand, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland,
New Zealand. Email: heather.braid@gmail.com
2
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urn:lsid:zoobank.org:author:C5177553-E350-4C6A-9D2E-70581F2ED152
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:author:E79EA1DA-A7B4-482D-A5E3-AB81E74E4743
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urn:lsid:zoobank.org:author:A28B5D88-B00C-46A1-9F48-367918CAF2F2
Abstract. A recent paper on the phylogenetic relationships of species within the cephalopod family
Mastigoteuthidae meant great progress in stabilizing the classification of the family. The authors,
however, left the generic placement of Mastigoteuthis pyrodes unresolved. This problem is corrected
here by placing this species in a new monotypic genus, Mastigotragus, based on unique structures of the
photophores and the funnel/mantle locking apparatus.
Keywords. Mastigoteuthidae, morphology, nomenclature, Mastigotragus gen. nov., deep-sea squid
Young R.E., Vecchione M. & Braid H.E. 2014. Mastigotragus, a new generic name for Mastigoteuthis pyrodes
Young, 1972 (Cephalopoda: Mastigoteuthidae). European Journal of Taxonomy 105: 1–6. http://dx.doi.
org/10.5852/ejt.2014.105
Introduction
The squid family Mastigoteuthidae contains oceanic, mostly bathypelagic, species that are soft bodied
and easily damaged in trawls. The inaccessibility of species and their fragile nature are in large degree
responsible for problems in the classification of this family. Little consistency has existed between
classifications, even with the same senior author (e.g., Salcedo-Vargas & Okutani 1994 and SalcedoVargas 1997). In a revision of the family on the Tree of Life website, Vecchione et al. (2004, with
subsequent modifications up to 2014) suggested, because of the uncertainties in classification, “… that
modifying the classification is premature and should wait until our knowledge has increased to the
point where a full phylogenetic study can be made. We recognize, therefore, only the single genus
Mastigoteuthis.” Vecchione et al. (2004–2014) then placed species (excluding species of doubtful validity
and those known only from paralarvae; see below) into the following six species groups: Mastigoteuthis
agassizii group (three-species group), M. cordiformis (one-species group), M. glaukopis group (threespecies group), M. hjorti (one-species group), M. magna group (two-species group) and M. pyrodes
(one-species group). The excluded species from the Vecchione et al. species groups are: Mastigoteuthis
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European Journal of Taxonomy 105: 1–6 (2014)
latipinna (Sasaki, 1916), M. islini MacDonald & Clench, 1934, M. inermis Rancurel, 1972, M. okutani
(Salcedo-Vargas, 1997) and Chiroteuthoides hastula Berry, 1920.
The phylogenetic study that was called for by Vecchione et al. (2004-2014) to establish a proper
classification for the Mastigoteuthidae has now been published by Braid et al. (2014). Those authors
analyzed three mitochondrial genes from 29 mastigoteuthid squids in eight species and re-examined
morphological characters. Their results agreed with the species groups established by Vecchione et al.
(2004-2014) and enabled them to establish a formal generic classification for the family that utilized
generic and subgeneric names previously present in the literature. The following table compares these
two classification systems:
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2
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Comparison of classifications
Vecchione et al. 2004–2014
Braid et al. 2014
The Mastigoteuthis agassizii group
Mastigoteuthis spp.
Mastigoteuthis cordiformis
Idioteuthis cordiformis
The Mastigoteuthis glaukopis group Echinoteuthis spp.
Mastigoteuthis hjorti
Mastigopsis hjorti
The Mastigoteuthis magna group
Magnoteuthis spp.
Mastigoteuthis pyrodes
Mastigoteuthis pyrodes (no change)
Braid et al. (2014) left one problem unresolved. They stated, “ Unfortunately, no specimens of this
species [Mastigoteuthis pyrodes] were examined or available for genetic analysis, and therefore, its
generic placement remains unclear.” In this paper we examine the generic affinities of Mastigoteuthis
pyrodes Young, 1972 and place it in a new genus.
Materials and methods
We examined all of the specimens of Mastigoteuthis pyrodes at the U.S. National Museum of Natural
History (USNM) and at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History (SBMNH). Included were the
following type specimens: SBMNH 34983, holotype, ♂, ML 110 mm, and USNM 727462, 3 paratypes
(2 ♂♂, ML 85 and 94 mm; 1 sex indet., ML 77 mm).
Results
We strongly support most of the conclusions reached by Braid et al. (2014). Our examination of
Mastigoteuthis pyrodes indicates that this species does not belong in Mastigoteuthis or in any of the
other genera defined by Braid et al. (2014). “M.” pyrodes presently remains in Mastigoteuthis by
default. On superficial examination one could easily conclude that “M.” pyrodes does, indeed, belong in
Mastigoteuthis. In fin length, fin shape and tentacle structure “M.” pyrodes is most similar to members of
Mastigoteuthis. The most compelling feature for placing “M.” pyrodes in Mastigoteuthis (and the feature
that excludes this species from all other genera in the family) is the unique presence of readily visible
integumental photophores on the mantle, head and ventral arms in these taxa. A closer comparison of
the integument of “M.” pyrodes and the type species of Mastigoteuthis, however, shows that they are
very different.
The photophores of Mastigoteuthis agassizii Verrill, 1881, the type species of the genus, appear to lie in
pockets (Fig. 1). The appearance of a pocket is due to the presence of transparent, vacuole-like cells that
surround the photocytes and their covering chromatophores. A photophore of “M.” pyrodes appears very
different from that of M. agassizii under the dissecting microscope. It is seen as a slight bulge in the skin,
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YOUNG R.E., VECCHIONE M. & BRAID H.E., A new mastigoteuthid genus
not a pocket (i.e., without obvious vacuole-like cells), and is backed by a white reflector and covered by
a dark chromatophore (Fig. 2B). Other features of the skin are also important. Mastigoteuthis agassizii
has relatively few, scattered chromatophores in the epidermis and each is surrounded by a white ring (the
thick edge of a disc that seems to extend beneath the chromatophore); this leaves most of the pigment
of the skin in the dermis and not in chromatophore organs of the epidermis (Fig. 2A). In contrast,
“M.” pyrodes lacks these ringed chromatophores but has more numerous and densely arranged, typical
chromatophores which provide most of the skin pigmentation, even though light pigmentation is present
in the underlying dermis. Mastigoteuthis agassizii also has numerous small, spherical, white structures
in the skin whose histology and function are unknown. These structures are lacking in “M.” pyrodes.
These large differences in the structure of the integument, by themselves, are enough to conclude that
“M.” pyrodes is not a Mastigoteuthis. “M.” pyrodes, however, also differs from species of Mastigoteuthis
in the distribution of the photophores: both taxa have photophores on the ventral surfaces of the mantle,
head and ventral arms, but only in “M.” pyrodes are photophores also present on the ventral sides
of the fins and the dorsal surfaces of the head and mantle. Moreover, the eyelid photophore in “M.”
pyrodes is much larger than its integumental photophores, while in Mastigoteuthis species the eyelid and
integumental photophores are approximately the same size. One other major difference in these taxa is
important in the derivation of the new generic name: the funnel component of the funnel/mantle locking
apparatus. In “M.” pyrodes this structure has a large tragus but is without an antitragus and without a
posterior undercut shelf; these latter two features are always present in Mastigoteuthis species, although
weakly expressed in some.
Because of these large morphological differences between “M.” pyrodes and true species of
Mastigoteuthis, we place “Mastigoteuthis” pyrodes as the sole species in a new genus, Mastigotragus.
Fig. 1. Longitudinal section through an integumental photophore of Mastigoteuthis agassizii Verrill,
1881 (modified from Chun 1910).
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European Journal of Taxonomy 105: 1–6 (2014)
Fig. 2. Photomicrographs of the slightly damaged integument of the head (modified from Vecchione et
al. 2004–2014). A. Mastigoteuthis agassizii. B. “Mastigoteuthis” pyrodes [= Mastigotragus pyrodes].
– Large, white arrows indicate photophores; only two photophores are visible in A but seven are visible
in B. Small, white arrows indicate two of the many “white spherical structures.” Black arrows indicate
ringed chromatophores in A and typical chromatophores in B.
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YOUNG R.E., VECCHIONE M. & BRAID H.E., A new mastigoteuthid genus
Systematics
Class Cephalopoda Cuvier, 1795
Subclass Coleoidea Bather, 1888
Order Oegopsida d’Orbigny, 1845
Family Mastigoteuthidae Verrill, 1881
Mastigotragus gen. nov.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:5F1DDC20-A391-4B52-BA8A-23FFC9F7888D
Type species: Mastigoteuthis pyrodes Young, 1972, by monotypy.
Diagnosis
A mastigoteuthid with (1) numerous small, but easily observed integumental photophores on the ventral
surface of arms IV, on the dorsal and ventral surfaces of the head, mantle and fins, and with a relatively
large photophore on each eyelid; (2) a broad funnel component of the funnel/mantle locking apparatus,
with strong tragus, but without antitragus or undercut posterior margin; (3) comparatively large club
suckers (about 0.3 mm in diameter).
Etymology
Here “mastigo” refers to the name of the family and “tragus” refers to the prominent tragus of the funnel
locking apparatus. Mastigo is Latin for “whip” which refers to the form of the tentacle; “tragus” is a
Latin word derived from the Greek trágos, indicating an appearance similar to the tragus of the human
ear.
Discussion
No additional histological information is available on the structure of the integument of these taxa,
but the position of Mastigotragus pyrodes as a separate genus is well supported by morphology. We
hope that, before long, fresh specimens will be captured that will enable determination of the genetic
relationships of this taxon within the family. The species is known only from the eastern North Pacific,
mostly off Southern Calfornia. Additional information and illustrations of the diagnostic features of
Mastigotragus pyrodes are presented on the species page of the Tree of Life website (Vecchione et al.
2004–2014).
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Kat Bolstad and Paul McBride from the Auckland University of Technology for
their help and the unknown reviewers for their helpful comments.
References
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Manuscript received: 9 July 2014
Manuscript accepted: 13 September 2014
Published on: 5 December 2014
Topic editor: Rudy Jocqué
Desk editor: Danny Eibye-Jacobsen
Printed versions of all papers are also deposited in the libraries of the institutes that are members of
the EJT consortium: Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France; National Botanic Garden
of Belgium, Meise, Belgium; Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium; National History
Museum, London, United Kingdom; Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels, Belgium;
Natural History Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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