''Mastigopsis'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

whip-lash squid The Mastigoteuthidae, also known as whip-lash squid, are a family of small deep-sea squid. Approximately 20 known species in six genera are represented, with members found in both the pelagic zone, mesopelagic and Bathypelagic zone, bathypelagic z ...

containing one single species, ''Mastigopsis hjorti''. Some

teuthologist Teuthology (from Ancient Greek, Greek τεῦθος, "Common Cuttlefish, cuttlefish, European squid, squid", and -λογία, ''-logy, -logia'') is the study of Cephalopod, cephalopods, which are members of the class Cephalopod, Cephalopoda in ...

s consider ''

Idioteuthis ''Idioteuthis'' is a genus of whip-lash squid containing at least one species. Some teuthologists consider it synonymous with ''Mastigoteuthis'', but genetics have confirmed the placement of this genus as distinct from all other genera in this fa ...

'' synonymous with this

taxon In biology, a taxon (back-formation from ''taxonomy''; : taxa) is a group of one or more populations of an organism or organisms seen by taxonomists to form a unit. Although neither is required, a taxon is usually known by a particular name and ...

; however, genetic results indicate that this genus is not closely related with ''

'' but actually closer to ''

Magnoteuthis ''Magnoteuthis'' is a genus of whip-lash squid containing at least three species. Some teuthologists consider ''Idioteuthis'' or ''Mastigoteuthis'' synonymous with this taxon, but it is genetically and morphologically distinct. Species *Genus '' ...

''.

Description

''Mastigopsis hjorti'' is similar to '' Idioteuthis cordiformis'' in that it has large fins, skin tubercles, no pocket between the bridles and the large dividing, protective membranes on the

tentacular club All cephalopods possess flexible limbs extending from their heads and surrounding their cephalopod beak, beaks. These appendages, which function as muscular hydrostats, have been variously termed arms, legs or tentacles. Description In ...

s but the main difference is that this species has

photophores A photophore is a specialized anatomical structure found in a variety of organisms that emits light through the process of Bioluminescence, boluminescence. This light may be produced endogenously by the organism itself (symbiotic) or generat ...

on its eyes. The suckers on the tentacular club are all of similar size, except for those nearest the tip. The funnel has a locking-apparatus which has an oval, slightly curved depression and towards the posterior its sides protrude having no cartilaginous fleshy projections. The fins are large and measure around 90% of the length of the mantle. The mantle, head, funnel and the aboral surface of the arms in subadults are covered in large tubercles. There are two large circular photophores placed on the lower surface of eyeball. The maximum mantle length attained is 100 mm.

Distribution

''Mastigopsis hjorti'' has a wide distribution and is possibly a tropical-subtropical circumglobal species which ranges north as far as 40°N although the southern limits have yet to be determined. It has been recorded in the North Atlantic Ocean from the eastern parts of the

Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico () is an oceanic basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, mostly surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States; on the southw ...

, as far north as

Bermuda Bermuda is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean. The closest land outside the territory is in the American state of North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. Bermuda is an ...

and the

Gulf of Maine The Gulf of Maine is a large gulf of the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast of North America. It is bounded by Cape Cod at the eastern tip of Massachusetts in the southwest and by Cape Sable Island at the southern tip of Nova Scotia in the northea ...

. It has also been recorded off South Africa in the eastern Atlantic, from the central Pacific Ocean and from the Indian Ocean. The taxonomic status of the populations in oceans other than the Atlantic are uncertain.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q17287175 Whip-lash squid Cephalopod genera Taxa named by Georg Grimpe