no. 3612 VALBYTEUTHIDAE — ROPER AND YOUNG 5 



(pi. 4h). The suckers of the manus and dactylus are arranged in 

 four uniform, longitudinal rows, except at the tip, where only one or 

 two suckers remain. The suckers have broad, flat outer chitinous 

 rings. The inner rings have very small apertures and lack dentition 

 (pi. 4i, o). 



The buccal membrane possesses seven buccal lappets. The buccal 

 membrane connectives attach dorsally to arm pairs one and two and 

 ventrally to arm pairs three and four. The oral surface of the buccal 

 membrane is covered with distinct, closely set longitudinal ridges 

 and grooves. 



A few irregularly scattered, brown chromatophores are present 

 on the mantle, fins, head, and arms. 



The beaks are illustrated on plate 4, figures d-f. The rostrum 

 of the upper mandible is short and has a sharply pointed tip; the 

 palatine lamella is short and broad. The rostrum of the lower beak 

 is short and triangular and has dorsolateral ridges on the hood. A 

 weak lateral ridge is present on the gullar lamella. 



The radula consists of seven rows of teeth in a transverse series. 

 The rhachidian tooth has a very slender, elongate, median cusp and 

 two lateral cusps that frequently bear a small medial bump. The 

 first lateral tooth has along, medial cusp and two small lateral cusps; 

 the smaller and more medial of these is somewhat variable in size 

 but provides the first lateral tooth with a distinctive and unusual 

 feature. The second lateral tooth has a broad base and bears a single, 

 long, slender cusp. The lateralmost tooth has an extremely elongate, 

 curved cusp. Marginal plaques are lacking in Valbyteuthis (pi. 4g) . 



Measurements in mm of two specimens of Valbyteuthis danae Joubin 

 from the region of the type-locality (Bay of Panama) are as follows: 



*Marks indicate that tip of arm is missing. 

 248-332 — 67—2 



