Publication Date:
2020-06-09
Description:
On October 13, 1961, Mr. R. D. McLean found a large Cephalopod on the beach near the lighthouse at Cape Recife, Algoa Bay, south-east of Port Elizabeth. It appeared to be dying, the suckers on the arms still showing reflex movements. The next morning it was taken to the Port Elizabeth Museum where it was deepfrozen after external measurements had been taken. The whole body was more or less uniformly coloured in exactly the same shade of brownish brick-red as Loligo vulgaris, the skin clearly showing the macrochromatophores. On arrival the body was still liberally covered with quantities of black ink from the ink gland. The specimen was subsequently identified as a male of Thysanoteuthis rhombus Troschel 1857, having the left ventral arm hectocotylized. Unfortunately it was impossible to weigh the specimen when fresh, but it has been estimated to have weighed between 40 and 45 lbs. (roughly 18-20 kg).
Type:
Article
,
PeerReviewed
Format:
text
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