The squid families Cranchiidae and Gonatidae (Cephalopoda: Teuthoidea) in the New Zealand region

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Abstract
The squid fauna of the New Zealand region contains at least 16 species of Cranchiidae and 2 of Gonatidae. Their synonymies, diagnoses, and descriptions are revised, and a key for identification of cranchiids is presented. Two cranchiid subfamilies are accepted. The Cranchiinae comprise three genera, Cranchia (monotypic) and Leachia and Liocranchia (each with two species). Loligopsis schneehagenii, Zygaenopsis pacifica, Pyrgopsis atlantica, Drechselia danae, and Leachia dislocata are here synonymised with Leachia eschscholtzii. Cranchia scabra, Leachia cyclura, L. eschscholtzii, and Liocranchia reinhardtii occur in New Zealand seas. The Taoniinae comprise 11 genera, Taonius, Megalocranchia, Galiteuthis, Hensenioteuthis, Sandalops, Bathothauma, Helicocranchia, Teuthowenia, Fusocranchia, Mesonychoteuthis, and Egea. Phasmatopsis cymoctypus is restored to Taonius and Toxeuma belone is placed in this genus also, both as type species with T. pavo; diagnostic features of the three species are compared in a table. Desmoteuthis hyperborea is synonymised with T. cymoctypus, Belonella pacifica borealis with T. pavo, and Belonella p. pacifica and Galiteuthis triluminosa with T. belone. Megalocranchia is considered to be monotypic, and Taonius abyssicola, Corynomma speculator, Liguriella podophthalma (?), Helicocranchia fisheri, Ascoteuthis corona, and Carynoteuthis oceanica are junior synonyms of M. maxima. Galiteuthis probably contains only two species; Taonidium pacificum is united with G. armata and G. aspera with G. glacialis. Hensenioteuthis joubini is a distinct, sexually dimorphic species of a monotypic genus, and Megalocranchia papillata and Ascocranchia joubini are synonyms. Uranoteuthis bilucifer is a junior synonym of Sandalops melancholicus. Bathothauma and Mesonychoteuthis are monotypic. Helicocranchia comprises two allopatric species. Teuthowenia megalops megalops is a new trinomen for the North Atlantic member of the genus; Anomalocranchia impennis is united with T. megalops as T. m. impennis of southern oceans, with Megalocranchia richardsoni and M. megalops australis as synonyms; Teuthowenia antarctica is valid. Desmoteuthis pellucida is united with Fusocranchia alpha; Vossoteuthis is a synonym of Fusocranchia, and Megalocranchia pardus and Teuthowenia tagoi are synonyms of F. pellucida. Teuthowenia elongata is united with Egea inermis. Species of Taoniinae found in the New Zealand region are Taonius pavo, T. cymoctypus, T. belone, Megalocranchia maxima, Galiteuthis armata, G. glacialis, Sandalops melancholicus, Bathothauma lyromma, Teuthowenia megalops impennis, T. antarctica, Fusocranchia pellucida, and Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni. The Gonatidae are represented by Gonatus antarcticus and G. ?berryi. Gonatus phoebetriae n.sp. is proposed for material from the southern Indian Ocean. Dorsal funnel organs and beaks of most species—the latter taken from procellariiform seabirds—are described and illustrated; the beaks offer useful taxonomie criteria. The distribution of each species and vertical migrations are considered; the evidence indicates that species of Taonius and Teuthowenia are diurnal vertical migrators. Cranchiids are an important part of the diet of Pterodroma petrels.

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