The reproductive features of a mature female of the deep sea planktonic squid Galiteuthis glacialis (Cephalopoda: Cranchiidae) from the Southern Ocean

Abstract

A mature female Galiteuthis glacialis (430 mm mantle length) was caught south of the Falkland Islands (53°S, 58°W) at a depth of 976-1001 m over a bottom depth of 1582-2378 m. A total of 8 spermatangia (15-19 mm in length) were found inserted into the mantle wall, which was of gelatinous consistency. Its ovary contained 3 605±42 oocytes, mostly 2.2-2.5 mm in length, and there were 21 ripe eggs (3.0-3.2 × 2.2-2.7 mm) in the oviducts. Only one resorpting oocyte (1.4 mm) was found. This is the only description of a mature female of this species, though two spent females have been previously described and three more mentioned by other authors.