Forwarding a message that was sent on ceph list recently, has an awesome image attached:
By Lazaro Ruda:
By Lazaro Ruda:
While diving yesterday off Juno, Florida I came across a small ~4in cephalopod swimming very slowly in midwater. There was a deep water upwelling which dropped the water temperature from the mid 70s to 55 degree fahrenheit. I have looked through my id books, but I can not find a close enough id. Its behavior was unconcerned with the proximity of my camera and it never once tried to leave quickly nor did it ever ink.
I have an image of it at the following url: http://www.thelivingsea.com/unknown-ceph.jpg
Any help identifying this cephalopod is greatly appreciated.
Hello Lazaro Ruda
The animal in the picture sems young because of the forma of the arms you say it
is 4 inches long, and at very young stages I am not sure if they have already
developed the hectocotylus. Females of Haliphron can get over 2 yards long and
until now it is not really clear if there is only one species of Haliphron. I am
a taxonomist so I will recomend only to use cf. Haliphron so you will be in the
secure part of the identification.
Best wishes
Juergen
________________________________
Von: Lazaro Ruda
An: [email protected]
Gesendet: Montag, den 28. März 2011, 12:44:51 Uhr
Betreff: Re: AW: [Ceph] Help with ceph identification
The consensus seems to be that it is Haliphron atlanticus. Assuming that the
male species only display 7 arms with the hectocotylus hidden inside the mantel,
is it likely this is a female?
Laz Ruda
TheLivingSea.com