Benthoctopus yaquinae Voss & Pearcy, 1990

Strugnell, Jan, Voight, Janet R., Collins, Patrick C. & Allcock, A. Louise, 2009, Molecular phylogenetic analysis of a known and a new hydrothermal vent octopod: their relationships with the genus Benthoctopus (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae), Zootaxa 2096 (1), pp. 442-459 : 446-447

Benthoctopus yaquinae Voss & Pearcy, 1990

Synonymy: Benthoctopus macrophallus Voss & Pearcy, 1990: 82 , fig 17.

Type material examined: Benthoctopus yaquinae Voss & Pearcy holotype, USNM 729992 , RV Yaquina, 44°49'N 125°59'W (off Oregon coast), Stn 6501-49, 12 January 1965, 2800 m, male. Benthoctopus macrophallus Voss & Pearcy holotype, USNM 730713 , RV Yaquina, 44°59'N 126°32'W (off Oregon coast), Stn 7102B-267, 19 February 1971, 2795 m, male.

Additional material examined: Benthoctopus yaquinae: FMNH 278119, RV Wecoma, 44°46'N 125°32'W (off Oregon coast), Stn 5, 17 April 1997, 2750 m, male, leg. & det. JR Voight. * FMNH 308673 , RV Atlantis HOV Alvin , 47°57'N 129°06'W (Juan de Fuca Ridge), Alvin Dive 4045, 2 September 2004, 2213 m, leg. & det. JR Voight. FMNH 278315 , RV Wecoma, 44°46'N 125°32'W (off Oregon coast), Stn 5, 17 April 1997 2750 m, female, leg. & det. JR Voight. FMNH 278118 , RV Wecoma, 44°46'N 125°32'W (off Oregon coast), Stn 1, 16 April 1997, 2850 m, female, leg. & det. JR Voight.

Diagnosis. Suckers erect, widely spaced. Ink sac and anal flaps absent. Arms approximately 3 times ML. Arm formula 1≥2≥3≥4. Funnel organ W-shaped. Gills with 7–9 lamellae per demibranch. LLI 8–12. Maximum spermatophore length approximately 110 mm, maximum SpLI 136, maximum number of spermatophores unknown – holotype contained remains of approximately 4. Mature males without enlarged suckers. Integument smooth. Strong reverse counter-shading apparent.

Remarks. Benthoctopus macrophallus is herein designated a junior synonym of Benthoctopus yaquinae . There are no discernable differences between the holotypes of these nominal species. Voss and Pearcy (1990) separated B. macrophallus ‘from all other Benthoctopus by the unusual characters of the radula, the beaks, the very large spermatophores, and the unusually long, separate crop diverticulum’ and states that the name ‘refers to the exceptionally long penial apparatus’. Both holotypes are large mature male specimens in excellent condition. The holotype of B. macrophallus has mantle length approximately 70 mm, ligula length 22 mm, ligula groove length 17 mm, calamus length 6 mm, AL(L3) 260 mm, AL( R 3) 190 mm, ASC(L3) 119, ASC( R 3) 55. The holotype of B. yaquinae has mantle length 75 mm, ligula length 21 mm, ligula groove length 17 mm, calamus 6 mm, AL(L3) 250 mm, AL( R 3) 170 mm, ASC(L3) 113, ASC( R 3) 52. The beak of macrophallus was clearly damaged on extraction but it is not exceptional. The radula is missing. Spermatophores of both holotypes were fragmented. We are puzzled by the description of the crop diverticulum because the digestive system had not been dissected. Furthermore, B. macrophallus is known only from the holotype. The penial apparatus of B. macrophallus is long (58 mm) but it is also long in the holotype of B. yaquinae (47 mm); a difference we argue lies within the bounds of intraspecific variation.