First record of a cirrate octopus (Cephalopoda: Cirroteuthidae) in the Argentine Basin (Uruguay)

Authors

  • Alvar Carranza Centro Universitario Regional del Este (CURE), Universidad de la República, Uruguay - Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Montevideo, Uruguay - Instituto de Ciencias Oceánicas (ICO), Universidad de la República, Alberto Lasplaces 1620, 11600 - Montevideo, Uruguay https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3016-7955
  • Javier Sellanes Departamento de Biología Marina y Centro de Ecología y Manejo Sustentable de Islas Oceánicas (ESMOI), Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6942-0762
  • Fabrizio Scarabino Centro Universitario Regional del Este (CURE), Universidad de la República, Uruguay - Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Montevideo, Uruguay - Instituto de Ciencias Oceánicas (ICO), Universidad de la República, Alberto Lasplaces 1620, 11600 - Montevideo, Uruguay
  • Romina Trinchin Instituto de Ciencias Oceánicas (ICO), Universidad de la República, Alberto Lasplaces 1620, 11600 - Montevideo, Uruguay - Departamento de Ciencias de la Atmósfera y Física de los Océanos, Instituto de Física, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0511-0586
  • Jan M. Tapia-Guerra Departamento de Biología Marina y Centro de Ecología y Manejo Sustentable de Islas Oceánicas (ESMOI), Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1389-3023

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47193/mafis.3912026010105

Keywords:

Deep sea, Río de la Plata Canyon, Octopoda

Abstract

We report live observations of Cirrothauma cf. murrayi, the unique ‘blind cirrate octopus’ at a depth of 3,122 m depth during a SuBastian dive aboard RV ‘Falkor (too)’ in the Economic Exclusive Zone of Uruguay. The observed specimen exhibited an elongated body shape, distinct from a compressed form, with a gelatinous and fragile structure. Notable features include reduced or degenerate eyes, lightly pigmented skin, a deep web with a secondary web, long conspicuous cirri, elongate stalks with minute suckers, and large, wide fins that exceed the width of the head. The oceanographic setting indicates the presence of a mixing layer between the North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) and the Lower Circumpolar Deep Water (LCDW). This record enhances the limited knowledge of Cirroteuthidae distribution in this region, with previous records restricted to Brazil and the Southern Ocean (South Sandwich Islands), being the first one for the Argentine Basin.

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References

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Published

2025-11-14

Issue

Vol. 39 No. 1 (2026): Marine and Fishery Sciences (MAFIS) - Accepted Articles

Section

Notes

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Copyright (c) 2025 Alvar Carranza, Javier Sellanes, Fabrizio Scarabino, Romina Trinchin, Jan M. Tapia-Guerra

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How to Cite

Carranza, A., Sellanes, J., Scarabino, F., Trinchin, R., & Tapia-Guerra, J. M. (2025). First record of a cirrate octopus (Cephalopoda: Cirroteuthidae) in the Argentine Basin (Uruguay). Marine and Fishery Sciences (MAFIS), 39(1). https://doi.org/10.47193/mafis.3912026010105

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