296 
C.C. Lu, A. Reid 
Figure 16 A-E, Sepia senta sp. nov.; A, cuttlebone, dorsal view, female paratype MV F77197, 48.2 mm ML, scale bar 7 
mm; B, cuttlebone ventral view, same specimen, scale bar 7 mm; C, lateral margin of cuttlebone, dorsal 
view, male paratype MV F77197, 49.8 mm ML, scale bar 1 mm; D, posterior end of cuttlebone, dorsal view, 
female MV F77198, 60.7 mm ML, scale bar 4 mm; E, posterior end of cuttlebone, ventral view, male 
paratype MV F77197, 49.8 mm ML, scale bar 5 mm. 
and arms pale, without colour pattern; dorsal 
mantle pale brownish, without markings (Figure 
10A); paired dorsal eye spots absent. Fins pale; 
without markings at base. Arms without markings. 
Ventral pigment absent (Figure 10B). 
Type locality 
Australia; Western Australia, North West Shelf, 
14°07’S 122°06'E; 415 m. 
TYPE: Holotype, MV F77200, male 41.5 mm 
ML. 
Distribution 
Australia: Western Australia, North West Shelf, 
12°04'S 122°51'E - 18°44'S 116°59'E (Figure 9); 
depth range 426-256 m. Habitat soft, muddy 
substrate. 
Etymology 
The specific name, senta, is derived from the 
Latin, sentus, meaning "thorny or rough". It refers 
to the calcareous protuberances on the dorsal side 
of the cuttlebone in this species. Gender feminine. 
Remarks 
A single male animal (MV F77982) from off Cebu 
in the Philippines (14°41.07'N 123°24.12'E - 
14°42.42'N - 123°21.42'E) closely resembles this 
species. The specimen differs, however, in a 
number of morphometric characters, notably in 
having relatively shorter arms, smaller arm and 
club suckers and a greater number of gill lamellae 
and rows of club suckers than the Australian 
animals. Measurements, counts and indices for this 
specimen are shown in Table 4 for comparison. The 
left ventral arm of the Philippines specimen shows 
no modification, but as it additionally has no 
mature spermatophores in the spermatophore 
storage sac, the animal may be immature. The 
body pigmentation is much darker, a deep rust 
brown in the Philippines animal, in contrast to the 
pale brownish skin coloration of the Australian 
