Pharaoh Cuttlefish

Sepia pharaonis Ehrenberg, 1831

Crumenasepia hulliana Iredale, 1926b:239. [Holotype, AM C133333, 173 mm SL (180.4 mm including spine), Howick Island, Qld (14°30′S, 144°59′E).]

Crumenasepia ursulae Cotton, 1929:90. [Holotype, SAM D10013, 247 mm SL, spine broken off, Cottesloe, WA (31°59′S, 115°45′E).]

DIAGNOSIS.—Anterior dorsal mantle margin acuminate, projected to level of anterior border of eyes; ventral mantle margin emarginate. Swimming membrane of tentacular club (Figure 19a) narrow, extended slightly beyond base of club. Protective membranes narrow, separated at base of club. Club suckers small, in 8 series at middle of club, 3rd and 4th suckers from dorsal margin much larger than other suckers in row. Arm suckers quadriserial. Left arm IV in male hectocotylized, basal 12 rows of suckers normal, followed by 10 rows of suckers in which dorsal parts minute, separated from normal-sized ventral pairs by fleshy ridge.

Sepion (Figure 19b–e) elongate-oval. Dorsal surface granulose, with 3 longitudinal ribs. Ventral surface with shallow groove in middle of striated zone, last loculus faintly grooved. Striated zone bordered on both sides by narrow, smooth area. Posterior inner-cone limbs forming long, ventral ledge, convex posteriorly, flat or slightly concave anteriorly. Spine without keels, with 2 thick, lateral expansions at base.

ORIGINAL REFERENCE.—Ehrenberg, 1831, pl. 8.

TYPE LOCALITY.—Massaouah, Gulf of Suez.

TYPE.—Not traced.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION.—Indo-West Pacific. In northern Australia, sepions recorded from Cap Le Grande, WA (33°55′S, 122°30′E), to Masthead Island, Capricorn Group, Qld (23°32′S, 151°44′E), animals recorded from Monte Bellow Island, WA (20°26′S, 115°37′E), to at least Townsville, Qld (19°16′S, 146°41′E), including Gulf of Carpentaria, at depths of 25–102 m.

Sepia pharaonis Ehrenberg, 1831

Sepia rouxi Férussac and d'Orgigny, 1841:271 [Bombay].

Sepia torosa Ortmann, 1888:652 [Tokyo Bay].

Sepia framea Ortmann, 1891:675 [Ceylon].

Sepia singalensis Goodrich, 1896:3 [Colombo].

Sepia koettlitzi Hoyle and Standen, 1901:1 [Zeila, Somalia].

Sepia formosana Berry, 1912:420 [Takao, Formosa].

Sepia hulliana Iredale, 1926b:239 [Howick Island].

Sepia tigris Sasaki, 1929:168 [Formosa].

Sepia ursulae Cotton, 1929:90 [W. Australia].

Sepia sinope Voss, 1962:3 [not Gray, 1849].

DIAGNOSIS.—Tentacular club with protective membranes separate at base, suckers in 8 longitudinal rows, 5 or 6 median ones (3rd and 4th in series) markedly enlarged. Left arm IV hectocotylized, with basal 12 quadriserial transverse rows normal, next 10 transverse rows with ventral suckers (2 longitudinal rows) normal, those in dorsal 2 longitudinal rows minute and separated from ventral rows by fleshy, transversely grooved ridge. Marked transverse, tiger-stripe pattern on dorsal mantle and head; light, interrupted line along fin bases. Sepion oval. Posterior part of striated zone covered by broadly U-shaped, dark (calcitic) deposit on inner cone (also called secondary inner cone). Anterior striae rounded L-shaped. Spine present.

ORIGINAL REFERENCE.—Ehrenberg, 1831: pl. 8.

TYPE LOCALITY.—Tor, Sinai.

TYPES.—Holotype: Unknown. Type was probably deposited in the Natural History Museum of Strasbourg.

Topotype: The Natural History Museum, London.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION.—Indo-Pacific from Red Sea through Arabian Sea to South China Sea, East China Sea, and northern and northwestern Australia.