New insights into the morphology, reproduction and distribution of the large-tuberculate octopus Graneledone macrotyla from the Patagonian slope

• Main Authors: Guerra, Á. (Ángel), Roura, A. (Álvaro), Sieiro, M.P. (María Pilar), Portela, J. (Julio), Río-Iglesias, J.L. (José Luis) del
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo 2012
• Subjects: Graneledone macrotyla; Cephalopoda; systematic; reproduction; biogeography; Patagonian slope; southwest Atlantic; Argentina; antartic*
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10508/812

The new information reported in this paper is based on 11 specimens of the large-tuberculate octopus Graneledone macrotyla. These specimens were caught in bottom trawl surveys ATLANTIS 2009 and 2010 carried out on the Patagonian slope off the Argentinean Economic Exclusive Zone between 24 February and 1 April 2009 and from 9 March to 5 April 2010 respectively. A new diagnosis and a complete description of the species are provided. This is the first time that stylets, beaks and spermatophores are described. This is also the first time in which mature females have been studied and the female genitalia described. Like other eledonid octopods, G. macrotyla does not have spermathecae in the oviducal glands. The presence of fertilized eggs inside the ovary suggests that fertilization takes place within the ovary. The simultaneous occurrence of oocyte cohorts at different oogenic stages suggests that the species is a multiple spawner. G. macrotyla inhabits shallower waters on the Patagonian slope (475-921 m) than in the subantartic area (1647-2044 m). From a biogeographical point of view, our data show that G. macrotyla inhabits the plume of cold subantarctic waters, which is pushed far north into the southwestern Atlantic by the Falkland (Malvinas) Current. Nueva información sobre la morfología, reproducción y distribución del pulpo megatuberculado Graneledone macrotyla del talud continental Patagónico. – La novedosa información que se proporciona en este trabajo se basa en 11 ejemplares del pulpo megatuberculado Graneledone macrotyla. Esos ejemplares se capturaron en las campañas de prospección ATLANTIS 2009 y 2010, realizadas con arte de arrastre bentónico en el talud patagónico por fuera de la Zona Económica Exclusiva de Argentina, entre el 24 de febrero y el 1 de abril de 2009 y desde el 9 de marzo hasta el 5 de abril de 2010, respectivamente. Se ofrece una nueva diagnosis y una descripción completa de la especie. Esta es la primera vez en que se describen los estiletes, picos y espermatóforos. También es ...