Research: Octopods

Stauroteuthis syrtensis
Deep-sea cirrate octopus Stauroteuthis syrtensis

The deep sea octopods are a poorly known group, with considerable confusion surrounding the taxonomy, particularly of the cirrate octopuses. As part of a NERC funded project the deep-sea cephalopod fauna of the NE Atlantic was described for the first time (Collins et al., 2001). The benthic fauna is dominated by octopods, with incirrates abundant at depths 500-1500 and cirrate octopods dominating at depths greater than 1500m.
Stauroteuthis syrtensis
Deep-sea cirrate octopus Stauroteuthis syrtensis

The work has also revealed a number of new species of the cirrate genus Grimpoteuthis (Collins, submitted) and the Atlantic species of Opisthoteuthis (Villanueva et al., in press) and Stauroteuthis (Collins & Henriques, 2000) have been re-evaluated, with two new species of Opisthoteuthis described.

Work in the USA has shown that one of these species, Stauroteuthis syrtensis, has suckers capable of light production.

Relevant Publications

Roger Villanueva, Martin A. Collins, Pilar Sanchez and Nancy Voss, in press.

Systematics and distribution in the Atlantic Ocean of the cirrate octopods of the genus Opisthoteuthis (Mollusca, Cephalopoda), with description of two new species. Bulletin of Marine Science.

Martin A. Collins, Cynthia Yau, Louise Allcock and Michael H. Thurston, 2001. Distribution of deep-water benthic and bentho-pelagic cephalopods from the north-east Atlantic. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the UK, 81, 105-117.