314 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



Mcroteuthis robusta (Dall) Verrill, 1876. 



Onycholeuthis Bergi ? Dall, 1873, P- 484 (measurements, but no description). 



Ommastrephes robustus " Dall MSS." Verrill, 1876, p. 336 (measurements and scanty diagnosis). 



Tryon, 1S79. p. 1S3 (after Verrill). 

 Onychotcuthis robusta Verrill, 1880, p. 195, 246, pi. xxin-xxiv (full description). 

 Lestoteuthis robusta Verrill, 1880. p. 251-252 (mere note). 

 Ancistroteuthis robusta Steenstrup, iSSo, p. 17. 

 Mcroteuthis robusta Verrill, 1881, p. 393; Verrill, i8Sib, p. 298, note. 



Verrill, 18823. p. 231 (21), 275 (65). 281 (71). 419 (209). pi. xiu-xrv. 

 ^ nci j/roif u//nV r(j6u^/a Steenstrup, 1S82, p. 150. 



Hoyle, 1S86. p. 40 (no description). 

 Hoyle, i8S6a, p. 251 (47), (no description). 



Thompson, 1900, p. 992 (description of tentacles and other details). 

 Moroleuthis robusta Pfe£fer, 1900, p. 161. 



Pfeffer, 190S, p. 68, fig. 7S-79 (after Verrill). 



Pfeffer, igoSa. p. 294. 



Hoyle, 1909. p. 26S (no description). 



As the only opportunity the writer has had to examine the giant squid of Alaska extended merely 

 to a few fragments of one of Ball's specimens in the Yale University Museum, the liberty is taken to 

 append herewith an abridgment of the excellent description given by Thompson (1900, p. 992-998). 

 For further and more detailed information reference may be had to this careful paper and to the several 

 articles by Verrill cited in the synonymy. 



' ' The general shape of the body is almost evenly conical , very slightly attenuated between the fins, 

 which latter extend over just about one-half the length of the mantle. The head is rather small and 

 narrow, the eyes not prominent. The broadest part of the fins is about 27 inches from the apex, which 

 they reach, and toward which their trapezoidal outline is sharply narrowed. 



* * * The funnel possesses a large internal valve. * * * 



The upper mandible is very sharply hooked; the lower has no tooth on its cutting edge. The 

 radula has tlie usual seven rows of teeth. 



The buccal membrane or " circumoral web ' ' is well developed, expanding to a radius of about four 

 inches. * * * 



The suckers are in two rows, and commence on the dorsal arm about 2 inches, and in the others 

 about 3 inches from the base. In the two rows the suckers are obliquely opposite. * » * There are 

 on the ventral arm about fifty distinct pairs, beyond which for about 2 inches at the distal end of the 

 arm the paired arrangement is not clearly maintained. * * * 



Of the left tentacle onlj' about seven inches is preserved. * * * Of the other tentacle about 

 twenty-three inches is preserved in connection with the body. It is a broad, flattened strap, about an 

 inch and a half in breadth. The distal end of the tentacle, including the tentacular club (which has 

 hitherto remained unknown") is, ver>' fortunately, preserved; it has all the appearance of having been 

 directly continuous with the attached portion, and measures nearly 24 inches in length, the terminal 

 club occupying the last eight inches. The club is laterally compressed, and has on each side a web or 

 frill. * * * 



The arrangement of the connective organ is as follows: — The first inch and a half or inch and a quar- 

 ter of the club is occupied by a group of intermixed suckers and pads, in which we can discern an 

 arrangement of six oblique rows containing 3, 4, 4, 4, 3, 3 elements, respectively; of these the first or 

 external one has two pads and a sucker between, the last has two suckers and a pad between; the rest 

 consist alternately of suckers and pads exclusively. * * * Beyond this portion of the connective 

 organ commences a double row of hooks, of which there are about eighteen pairs. In our specimen many 

 of these are missing. Of those that are left the largest belongs to the ninth pair, and beyond it they 

 become much smaller. The lowermost hooks are about three-eightlis of an inch long and nearly of 

 equal breadth in tlieir flattened bases. The largest, toward the middle of tlie club, are about five- 

 eighths of an inch long, and with bases about five-sixteenths of an inch broad. The extreme tip of the 

 club bears a group of thirteen small suckers within a square of about a quarter of an inch. * * » " 



