Two new pygmy squids, Idiosepius kijimuna n. sp. and Kodama jujutsu n. gen., n. sp. (Cephalopoda: Idiosepiidae) from the Ryukyu Islands, Japan

Abstract

Two new pygmy squid from the Ryukyu archipelago, Japan, are described: Kodama jujutsu, n. gen., n. sp. and Idiosepius kijimuna, n. sp. They differ from all other nominal species in a combination of traits, including the number of tentacular club suckers, shape of the funnel-mantle locking-cartilage, modification of the male hectocotylus and the structure of the gladius and nuchal-locking cartilage, in addition to mitochondrial DNA markers (12S, 16S and COI). They are both known from Okinawa Island and there is some overlap in their distributions. In a molecular phylogeny that includes all nominal Idiosepiidae, Kodama jujutsu, n. gen., n. sp. is sister taxon to a clade containing Xipholeptos Reid & Strugnell, 2018 and Idiosepius Steenstrup, 1881. Xipholeptos and Idiosepius are sister taxa. Idiosepius spp. now includes seven nominal species. In addition, aspects of the behaviour of the new species are described.