Zoological Studies

Vol. 41 No. 2, 2002

A New Species of Luteuthis (Mollusca: Cephalopoda: Octopoda: Cirrata) from the South China Sea

Steve O'Shea1 and Chung Cheng Lu2,*

1National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Wellington, New Zealand
2Department of Zoology, National Chung Hsing University and Department of Invertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural Science, Taichung, Taiwan 402

Steve O'Shea and Chung Cheng Lu (2002) Luteuthis shuishi sp. nov., the 2nd known species in a recently described cirrate family and genus, Luteuthidae and Luteuthis, previously known from the southwestern Pacific, is described from the South China Sea. Pre-fixed (fresh) morphologies of this species, and of the type species of the genus L. dentatus O’Shea, 1999 are provided. The relationship between Luteuthis and Grimpoteuthis tuftsi Voss and Pearcy, 1990 is evaluated. We suggest that G. tuftsi be placed in the family Luteuthidae, but because of a lack of adequate comparative material, no formal action is taken to prescribe it to a new genus. Previous family and generic diagnoses are amended to take into account the increased species and associated anatomical diversity.

Key words: Cirrates, Luteuthis, Grimpoteuthis, Opisthoteuthis, Systematics.

*Correspondence: Fax: 886-4-285-1797. E-mail: cclu@dragon.nchu.edu.tw