Asperoteuthis acanthoderma

Asperoteuthis acanthoderma, the thorny whiplash squid, is a large species of squid belonging to the family Chiroteuthidae. It is characterised by the tiny, pointed tubercules present on its skin and a Y-shaped groove in the funnel locking apparatus.Lu, C.C. 1977. A new species of squid, Chiroteuthis acanthoderma, from the Southwestern Pacific (Cephalopoda, Chirothidae). Steenstrupia Zoological Museum University of Copenhagen 4(16): 179-188.

The largest recorded specimen measured in mantle length (ML), although its original total length is unknown as it was missing the very delicate feeding tentacles.Okutani, T. 1995. Cuttlefish and squids of the world in color. Publication for the 30th anniversary of the foundation of the National Cooperative Association of Squid Processors. A smaller specimen, ML, had tentacles 12 times the length of its mantle, giving a total length of almost .Tsuchiya, K. & T. Okutani 1993. Rare and interesting squids in Japan -X. Recent occurrences of big squids from Okinawa. Venus 52: 299-311. This makes A. acanthoderma one of the longest known cephalopods.

The type specimen of A. acanthoderma was collected in the Celebes Sea and is deposited at the Zoologisk Museum of Københavns Universitet in Copenhagen.Current Classification of Recent Cephalopoda A. acanthoderma is also known from waters off the Cayman Islands, the Florida Keys, Okinawa, and Hawaii.Roper, C.F.E. & C.C. Lu 1990. Comparative Morphology and Function of Dermal Structures in Oceanic Squids (Cephalopoda). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 493: 1-40.

The first known specimen from the Atlantic Ocean was found by a charter fisherman while floating in deep water off the southern coast of Key West, Florida on 20 February 2007.Lee, C.E. 2007. Rare squid draws attention Mote shows off elusive creature. Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 10 May 2007. It measured ML and is thought to have been long when intact.Raloff, J. 2007. It's a Girl: Atlantic mystery squid undergoes scrutiny. Science News 171(11): 165. Although an incomplete specimen, missing most of its tentacles, it weighed and measured in total length.

In 2007, teuthologist Richard E. Young stated that "probably fewer than 10" specimens of A. acanthoderma had ever been reported. However, since 2006 there has been an influx of new specimens from the Caribbean Basin and Atlantic. Four specimens were recorded between 2006 and 2007 (two from the Florida Keys, one off Grand Cayman, and one off Little Cayman).Lollar, K. 2007. Big squid in Keys could be first outside Pacific. The News-Press. This was followed by another specimen from Little Cayman in May 2008 and another from Grand Cayman in September 2009.Giant squid recovered, preserved . Cayman Net News, 22 May 2008. A large specimen around long was found floating at the surface off the Cayman Islands in 2013.Giant squid found in Cayman head to US museum . Cayman News Service, 22 October 2013. It was transported to the University of South Florida St. Petersburg on a Royal Caribbean cruise and later transferred to the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.Royal Caribbean helps transport giant squid to museum. Royal Caribbean Blog, 23 October 2013.

This squid is known to be eaten by the sperm whale, blue shark, silky shark, swordfish, and wandering albatross.

Asperoteuthis acanthoderma

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