New cuttlefishes from the North West Shelf 
279 
Table 1 Description of measurements and counts. Definitions largely follow Roper and Voss (1983). New or 
modified definitions are indicated by an asterisk (*). Indices (shown in square brackets) are calculated by 
dividing each measure by mantle length or, for cuttlebone characters, cuttlebone length (unless otherwise 
specified) and are expressed as percentages. 
Arm Length - AL: length of each designated (i.e. 1,2 
etc.) arm measured from first basal (proximal-most) 
sucker to distal tip of arm (Arm 1, dorsal; 2, dorso¬ 
lateral; 3, ventro-lateral; 4, ventral) [ALI]. 
Anterior Mantle to Head length * - AMH: dorsal length 
of mantle measured from anterior-most point of 
mantle to intersection of transverse line joining 
dorso-lateral mantle margin [AMHI], 
Arm Sucker Count * - ASC: total number of suckers on 
each designated arm (e.g. ASC2). 
Arm Sucker diameter - AS: diameter of largest sucker 
on each designated (i.e. 1,2 etc.) arm [ASIn]. Suckers 
on left ventral hectocotylised arms are differentiated 
as follows: 
Arm Sucker left 4 * - ASH: diameter of largest sucker on 
left ventral arm of male [ASInl4], 
Arm Sucker left 4 minimum * - AS14m: diameter of 
smallest arm sucker on hectocotylised portion of left 
ventral arm of male [ASInHm]. 
Cuttlebone Length - CbL: dorsal length of cuttlebone 
along midline, including spine (if present). 
Cuttlebone Width - CbVV: greatest width of cuttlebone 
[CbWI]. 
Club Length - C1L: length of tentacular club measured 
from proximal-most basal suckers (carpus) to distal 
tip of club [C1LI]. 
Club Row Count - CIRC: number of suckers in 
transverse rows on tentacular club. 
Club Sucker diameter - CIS: diameter of largest sucker 
on tentacular club [C1SI]. 
Club Sucker dorsal * - CISd: diameter of largest 
tentacular club sucker in dorsal-most (closest to 
swimming keel) longitudinal row [CISId]. 
Club Sucker ventral * - CISv: diameter of largest 
tentacular club sucker in ventral-most (opposite 
swimming keel) longitudinal row [ClSIv], 
Eye Diameter - ED: diameter of eye [EDI], 
Egg Diameter * - EgD: diameter of egg [EgDI]. 
Free Funnel length - FFu: the length of the funnel from 
the anterior funnel opening to the point of its dorsal 
attachment to the head [FFuI], 
Fin Insertion anterior * - Fla: anterior origin of fin 
measured from mantle margin to anterior-most 
junction of fin and mantle [Fllaj. 
Fin Insertion posterior* - FIp: measured between 
posterior junctions of fins with mantle [Flip]. 
Funnel Length - FuL: the length of the funnel from the 
anterior funnel opening to the posterior margin 
measured along the ventral midline [FuLI]. 
Fin Width - FW: greatest width of single fin [FWI]. 
Gill Lamellae Count - GiLC: number of lamellae on 
outer demibranch including the terminal lamella. 
Gill Length * - GiL: length of right gill [GiLI], 
Head Length - HL: dorsal length of head measured 
from point of fusion of dorsal arms to anterior tip of 
nuchal cartilage [HLI]. 
Head Width - HW: greatest width of head at level of 
eyes [HWI], 
Loculus Length * - LoL: length of the last loculus 
(ventral anterior smooth zone of the cuttlebone) 
[LoLI], 
Mantle Length - ML: dorsal mantle length. Measured 
from anterior-most point of mantle to posterior apex 
of mantle. 
Mantle Width - MW: greatest straight-line ventral width 
of mantle [MWI]. 
Spine Length * - SL: length of spine [SLI]. 
Spermatophore Length - SpL: length of spermatophore 
[SpLI], 
Spermatophore Width - SpW: greatest width of 
spermatophore. Spermatophore width index is 
expressed as a percentage of spermatophore length 
[SpWI], 
Striated Zone length - StZ: length of striated zone of 
cuttlebone [StZI]. 
Transverse Row Count - TrRC: number of suckers in 
longitudinal series on tentacular club (counted from 
proximal-most basal suckers (carpus) to distal tip of 
club). 
Ventral Mantle Length - VML: length of ventral mantle 
measured from anterior mantle margin at ventral 
midline, to posterior apex of mantle [VMLI], 
Electron Optics Ltd. Japan) scanning electron 
microscope operated at 15 KV. 
Species descriptions were generated by the 
DELTA (Description Language for Taxonomy) 
system (Dallwitz 1980; Dallwitz et al. 1993; 
Partridge et al. 1993). 
SYSTEMATICS 
Sepia plana sp. nov. 
Figures 2-9; Tables 2,3 and 10 
Holotype 
Australia: Western Australia, North West Shelf - 
M (99.3 mm ML), 14°15'S 121°59'E, 460-430 m, 25 
Jan 1990, coll. RV "Courageous", (MV F77206). 
Paratypes 
Australia: Western Australia, North West Shelf - 
IF (63 mm ML), 12°04'S 122°51'E, 420 m, 22 Jan 
1990, coll. RV "Courageous", (MV F80339); IF (100 
mm ML), 12°12'S 122°48'E, 485 m, 22 Jan 1990, coll. 
RV "Courageous", (MV F77205); IF (148.7 mm 
ML), North West Shelf, 16°54 S 120°25'E, 396 m, 12 
Apr 1989, coll. FV "Striker", (MV F58848); IF (151.2 
mm ML), North West Shelf, 16°59'S 120°14'E, 405 
m, 7 Apr 1989, coll. FV "Striker", (MV F77204); 2F 
(84.4, 127.1 mm ML), 17 a 55.5'S 118°16.0'E, 505 m, 2 
Feb 1992, coll. FV "Surefire", (MV F67700). 
