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Journal of Molluscan Studies 2009 75(4):323-336; doi:10.1093/mollus/eyp027
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© The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Malacological Society of London, all rights reserved

A new genus and two new species of mesobenthic octopuses from Australia and New Caledonia

Mark D. Norman1, Renata Boucher-Rodoni2 and F. G. Hochberg3

1 Sciences, Museum Victoria, GPO Box 666, Melbourne, VIC 3001, Australia; 2Laboratoire de Biologie des Invertébrés marins, URA 699 CNRS, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 55 Rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France; and 3Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93105-2936, USA

Correspondence: M.D. Norman; e-mail: mnorman{at}museum.vic.gov.au


  Abstract

Trawl surveys off Western Australia and seamounts south of New Caledonia at depths between 375 and 545 m have yielded two species of a previously unknown genus of benthic octopus (Family: Octopodidae). Histoctopus n. gen. is described here and contains two new species, Histoctopus discus and Histoctopus zipkasae n. spp. The most distinctive morphological feature of this new genus is extreme web margin development along the length of the arms, widening towards the distal tips. Of all benthic octopuses, such web margin development only occurs in this new genus and three other distinct genera, Graneledone, Pteroctopus and Velodona (from comparable depths, typically >200 m). Due to significant morphological differences between these two genera and Histoctopus, we propose that the shared web margin development reflects convergence that is peculiar to a deeper-water habitat. The function of these web extensions remains unknown; they may aid in ensnaring or enveloping prey and/or provide lift while jet swimming off the seafloor.

(Received 8 December 2008; accepted 20 March 2009)


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