- Joined
- Apr 19, 2010
- Messages
- 478
So I've got an internship at the Smithsonian doing cephalopod systematics.
One thing I've started to note about oegopsid squids, anyway, is the sheer difficulty that is keeping the characteristics of each family straight, because there are so many of them and they overlap.
What I've been able to find so far:
- An inverted-T mantle-locking apparatus is diagnostic of the Ommastrephidae
- A lazy-T mantle-locking apparatus is diagnostic of the Thysanoteuthidae
- A triangular mantle-locking apparatus is diagnostic of the Cycloteuthidae
- A nuchal-lock mantle-head fusion is diagnostic of the Cranchiidae
Everything else is woefully confusing right now.
Anyone got advice on how to identify everything else?
One thing I've started to note about oegopsid squids, anyway, is the sheer difficulty that is keeping the characteristics of each family straight, because there are so many of them and they overlap.
What I've been able to find so far:
- An inverted-T mantle-locking apparatus is diagnostic of the Ommastrephidae
- A lazy-T mantle-locking apparatus is diagnostic of the Thysanoteuthidae
- A triangular mantle-locking apparatus is diagnostic of the Cycloteuthidae
- A nuchal-lock mantle-head fusion is diagnostic of the Cranchiidae
Everything else is woefully confusing right now.
Anyone got advice on how to identify everything else?