90 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 291 



Ommastrephidae and Thysanoteuthidae, the ovoid, ear-shaped locks 

 of the Chiroteuthidae and Mastigoteuthidae, the ovoid, bowl -shaped 

 locks of the Promachoteuthidae and Jonbiniteuthidae, and the sub- 

 triangular locks of the Cycloteuthidae. (3) Mantle and funnel com- 

 ponets completely fused. This type is found only in the Grimaldi- 

 teuthidae and Cranchiidae. The Bathyteuthidae, therefore, with its 

 straight, simple locking apparatus, is aligned with the majority of 

 oegopsid families and is distinct from the Ommastrephidae, Thy- 

 sanoteuthidae, Chiroteuthidae, Mastigoteuthidae, Cranchiidae, etc. 

 The sulcus of the funnel component in the Bathyteuthidae tends to be- 

 come broader and shallower in the posterior part, and in this respect, 

 the lock resembles that of the Histioteuthidae and Octopoteuthidae. 



Tentacular clubs provide stable familial characters among the 

 Oegopsida. The typical club is short, expanded and somewhat flat- 

 tened; it is generally divisible into carpus, manus, and dactylus; it 

 generally has protective membranes, swimming keels, and a 4-rowed 

 arrangement of suckers (and/or hooks). The Ommastrephidae (ex- 

 cept Illex), Thysanoteuthidae, and Lycoteuthidae are examples of the 

 basic type. Several variations from the basic type occur. For instance, 

 histioteuthids and gonatids have a few more rows of suckers on the 

 manus or dactylus; architeuthids and neoteuthids have a small 

 cluster of irregularly arranged suckers on the proximal part of the 

 manus. 



Some families have distinctive clubs that bear no resemblance to the 

 typical club. These include the Mastigoteuthidae, Promachoteuthidae, 

 Joubiniteuthidae, Ctenopterygidae, Brachioteuthidae, Batoteuthidae, 

 Octopoteuthidae, and Grimalditeuthidae. The Grimalditeuthidae 

 lack tentacles; the Octopoteuthidae lack tentacles in adults (except 

 Taningia) ; the Brachioteuthidae have expanded clubs with the 

 normal 3-4 rows distally, but rows of suckers that extend proximally 

 along the tentacular stalk. The Mastigoteuthidae, Promachoteuthidae 

 and Joubiniteuthidae have distinctive clubs that are very long and 

 unexpanded ; they bear many rows of minute, closely packed suckers. 

 The Ctenopterygidae have short, simple clubs with about 14 rows 

 of suckers. 



The clubs of the Bathyteuthidae are unlike those of most other 

 oegopsid families; they are relatively short, unexpanded, and undiffer- 

 entiated into carpus, manus, and dactylus. Tliey bear 8-10 rows of 

 minute, closely packed suckers. The extreme distal tip serves as the 

 growing end where sucker proliferation occurs. This feature is shared 

 with the Mastigoteuthidae and Promachoteuthidae, but presently too 

 little is known about growth of the clubs and sucker proliferation 

 in other oegopsid families to place emphasis on this similarity. The 



