Hernández García, V. (2003) Growth and pigmentation process of the beaks of Todaropsis eblanae (Cephalopoda: Ommastrephidae). Berliner paläobiologische Abhandlungen, 3 . pp. 131-140.

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Abstract

The mandibular growth, including the pigmentation process, was studied from 114 specimens of Todaropsis eblanae (Ball) caught in the central East Atlantic. Relationships between six measurements of both beaks, upper and lower, and dorsal mantle length (ML) and between the rostral length and the total mass (TM) were determined. Except for the distance between the jaw angles, both beaks showed positive allometric growth in relation to ML in both sexes. The hood and crest parts grew faster than others; the highest regression coefficients were obtained for these in both beaks. The upper and lower beaks of females were not different from those of males (p > 0.05). The darkening process or pigmentation of both beaks was analysed and a qualitative scale of eight degrees of pigmentation was developed. The results connected with the darkening and maturing processes suggest that these processes are related and take place over a very short period in the life of the squid; but, ontogenetic shifts in the diet seem also to be related with the development of the beaks during cephalopod ontogeny.

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