CEPHALOPOD DIVERSITY AND ECOLOGY

Iain Barratt¹, Elaina Jorgensen²

1 School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University, Belfast, U.K.

2 University of Washington & NOAA/NMFS, U.S.A.

Objectives

As part of the continuing work on the biogeography, taxonomy, life histories and phylogeny of Antarctic cephalopods our primary objectives were to:

1. identify, measure, and sample all cephalopods collected;

2. document morphological and colour variation within species;

3. investigate reproductive strategies; and

4. investigate trophic ecology of the cephalopods of the Southern Ocean.

Table 2.33 Number collected of each species and dorsal mantle length (DML) statistics.

Work at sea

Each octopus collected was measured (dorsal mantle length and total length), sampled for genetics, dissected to determine maturity, and preserved for future taxonomic work. A subset of these specimens (representatives from all species collected) was weighed for length weight regressions and their ventral mantle lengths recorded. Additional tissue samples and buccal masses were removed and frozen for future stable isotope analysis. Ovaries of all specimens were collected; however, while on board, the length and number of eggs per ovary was determined only for the most mature specimens. Ovary and oviducal gland diameter, and oviduct length were also measured.

Photographs were taken of representatives of each species as well as

Species Male Female Total Ave DML Min DML Max DML Adelieledone

polymorpha 125 124 249 43.2 13.1 80.4 Benthoctopus

levis peninsulae 1 7 8 40.5 19.6 61.0

Cirroctopus glacialis 2 105.5 93.0 118.0

Megaleledone setebos 17 17 34 84.5 28.6 210.0

Pareledone

aequipapillae 231 165 396 39.8 11.7 89.0

P. albimaculata 3 3 6 26.7 19.8 30.8

P. aurata 4 6 10 57.3 39.6 78.9

P. charcoti 162 58 220 38.6 20.6 62.7

P. cornata 77 68 145 41.6 14.3 73.0

P. felix 47 25 72 40.6 15.4 73.2

P. panchroma 1 2 3 29.5 20.7 40.0

P. serperastrata 3 3 43.5 37.1 55.0

P. turqueti 29 23 52 48.8 14.2 120.0

CCAMLR and related topics

additional specimens that showed colour or morphological variation. All specimen data was recorded in a relational database.

Preliminary results

A total of 1406 octopuses were collected; 1198 from the bottom trawl and 208 from the Agassiz trawl. Octopuses were present in 83% of the stations sampled. Representatives from two families (Cirroctopodidae and Octopodidae), two individuals of Cirroctopus glacialis (Cirroctopodidae) and the rest from 14 species (in four genera) of Octopodidae were sampled (Table 2.33). Six unidentified species of squid were collected from bottom trawls. The octopuses were found throughout the sampled area. However, they were most abundant around Elephant Island (Fig 2.25).

The most abundant and widely distributed species was Pareledone aequipapillae (Fig. 2.26). It also occupied the largest range of depths. The least commonly collected species was the cirrate octopus C. glacialis and the incirrate octopuses P. panchroma and P. serperastrata. Distributions for the newly described Benthoctopus levis peninsulae and P. felix are given (Figs 2.27 & 2.28) as well as those for Adelieledone polymorpha (Fig. 2.29).

Fig. 2.25a Distribution and relative abundance of all octopuses collected. Stations where octopuses were not collected are represented by an x. First Agassiz trawl near Neumayer Station (603-5) not shown, no octopuses were collected.

ANT-XXIII/8, Scientific reports

Fig. 2.25b. A close up of the stations near Elephant Island (scale is same as for figure 2.25a).

Fig. 2.26 Distribution and abundance of Pareledone aequipapillae. Pie charts represent no. of males (black) and females (white) per station. Size of pie chart represents n 30 min^-1 bottom trawling: largest pie chart symbolizes 62n, smallest a single animal; stations without octopuses represented by an x.

CCAMLR and related topics

Fig. 2.27 Distribution and relative abundance of Benthoctopus levis peninsulae. Pie charts as described in Fig. 2.25 except that largest pie chart represents two animals.

Fig. 2.28 Distribution and relative abundance of Pareledone felix. Pie charts are as described in Fig 2.26 except that largest pie chart represents 13 animals.

ANT-XXIII/8, Scientific reports

Fig. 2.29 Distribution and relative abundance of Adelieledone polymorpha. Pie charts are as described in Fig 2.26 except that largest pie chart represents 35 animals (same for insert).

Most species occupied a broad range of depths (Fig. 2.30) and no correlation was found between depth and species, species abundance, or gender, however, further statistical tests are planned. The two specimens of Cirroctopus glacialis were collected at the same location in 487m of water, the deepest station in the Elephant Island area. It is likely that our deepest station is at the shallow end of the depth range for C. glacialis, explaining the discrepancy between the numbers of individuals collected during this expedition compared to previous expeditions which sampled many more C.

glacialis.

In addition to the dorsal mantle length (Table 2.33) and total length recorded for each specimen, ventral mantle length and weight were taken for a subset of all the species collected. The majority of this data will contribute to an existing database on species length weight regressions however the data for Pareledone felix is new information so is presented here (Fig. 2.31). A slight difference between male and female length weights is discernible.

CCAMLR and related topics

Fig. 2.30 Depth distributions for the all the species collected.

Fig. 2.31 Length weight data for Pareledone felix. The upper equation results from the trendline for the data of the females while the lower is that for the males.

ANT-XXIII/8, Scientific reports

Table 2.34 Number of eggs per ovary and minimum and maximum egg length (mm) for nine of the species collected.

Species DML Min Egg Length Max Egg Length # Eggs

Fig. 2.32 Maturity stages for a) female, b) male octopuses. Stage 5 being the most mature stage. Juveniles and unknown specimens not included.

0%

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All of the most mature specimens were characterised by relatively low fecundity and large egg size, which is typical of Antarctic and deep-sea octopuses. The highest numbers and also the longest eggs were present in Megaleledone setebos followed by a large specimen of Pareledone turqueti (Table 2.34). The very large body size (>100mm) and high number of eggs observed in this specimen of P. turqueti were unusual when compared to individuals collected from South Georgia. In contrast, Adelieledone polymorpha, which also occurs around South Georgia, appeared to reach a similar body size with similar numbers of eggs. The length and number of developing eggs, with the exception of P. turqueti, also appear to be fairly consistent within the Pareledone genus. The results from the maturity stages showed that while the majority of females were either immature (stages 1 to 2) or beginning to develop their eggs (stage 3), most males were either approaching maturity (stage 4) or mature (stage 5) in several of the species (P. cornata, P. charcoti, P. aequapapillae and P. turqueti) (Fig. 2.32).

Interestingly specimens of both sexes of P. aurata were at stage 4 or 5 only.