Thaumeledone and other deep water octopodids from the Southern Ocean

• Published in: Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography
• Main Authors: Allcock, A. L., Collins, M. A., Piatkowski, Uwe, Vecchione, M.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2004
• Subjects: Southern Ocean
• Online Access: https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/643/; https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/643/1/2004%20Allcock_etal_Deep-SeaResII51.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2004.07.019

Recent trawling in the Southern Ocean has yielded an unusual and relatively large collection of deep-sea octopods, comprising four species in two genera. Several deep-sea genera, which are inadequately characterised, have been reported previously from the Southern Ocean. Within this paper, all the relevant historical type material has been examined and a full revision has been undertaken. Species previously considered to be representative of the genus Bentheledone have either been moved to Thaumeledone or are considered nomen dubium. A revised diagnosis of Thaumeledone is provided together with redescriptions of its Southern Ocean species as well as a description of a new species. A new genus has been erected to accommodate the remainder of the new specimens.