Comparative Analysis of Some Morphometric Characters in Two Sepiolids: Sepietta Neglecta (NAEF, 1916) and Sepietta Oweniana (Orbigny, 1840)

Abstract

The comparative morphometric analysis, which has proved valuable in vertebrates for the identification of features needed for further clarification of classifications, is lacking in the greater part of cephalopod literature (Voss, 1977; Roper, 1983). The taxonomy of sepiolids, especially that of Sepiola and Sepietta species, is quite difficult in practice (Naef, 1923; Mangold and Boletzky, 1987; Nesis, 1987; Guerra, 1992). In most cases the mantle has to be cut open to expose the organs of the mantle cavity, and the comparison of several specimens of different species and of both sexes is recommended (Bello, 1995). Adult and sub-adult males can be identified from the hectocotylous, females from the bursa copulatrix, inside the mantle cavity. In Sepietta neglecta and Sepietta oweniana the currently known characters are not sufficient to identify the females because both their external and internal morphology are identical (Guerra, 1992; Bello, 1995). The only difference referred to by Naef (1923) is that the tentacles of S. neglecta are smaller than those of S. oweniana and bear much smaller suckers. However this is evident only when specimens of equal size from the two species are examined together. The purpose of this paper is to verify whether the length of tentacular clubs, the thickness of tentacles and the diameter of club suckers reflect the growth rate, and are significantly different for the two species to define relative indices.