Opisthoteuthis mero
{{Short description|Species of octopus}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=July 2024}}
{{Speciesbox
|display_parents=3
|taxon=Opisthoteuthis mero
|authority=O'Shea 1999
|image=
|status=EN
|status_system=IUCN3.1
| status2 = D
| status2_system = NZTCS
| status2_ref = {{cite report|url=https://www.doc.govt.nz/globalassets/documents/science-and-technical/nztcs40entire.pdf|last1=Funnell|first1=Greig|last2=Gordon|first2=Dennis|last3=Daniel|first3=Leduc|last4=Makan|first4=Troy|last5=Marshall|first5=Bruce A.|last6=Mills|first6=Sadie|last7=Michel|first7=Pascale|last8=Read|first8=Geoff|last9=Schnabel|first9=Kareen|last10=Tracey|first10=Di|last11=Wing|first11=Stephen|editor-last=Todd|editor-first=Amanda|display-authors=1|title=Conservation status of indigenous marine invertebrates in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2021|publisher=New Zealand Department of Conservation|page=22|isbn=978-1-99-118365-1|date=January 2023|access-date=27 September 2024}}
}}
Opisthoteuthis mero, commonly known as Mero's umbrella octopus,{{cite web |last1=O'Shea |first1=Steve |title=Deep-sea finned Octopoda of New Zealand |url=https://tonmo.com/articles/deep-sea-finned-octopoda-of-new-zealand.25/ |website=Octopus News Magazine |date=March 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200928205810/https://tonmo.com/articles/deep-sea-finned-octopoda-of-new-zealand.25/ |archive-date=September 28, 2020 |url-status=live}} is a species of cirrate octopus from demersal habitats surrounding New Zealand. O. mero is the most documented New Zealand Opisthoteuthis species, with over 100 reference specimens. O. mero reaches a maximum length of {{convert|34|cm|abbr=on}}, and a mantle length of {{convert|9|cm|abbr=on}}.
Distribution and habitat
Opisthoteuthis mero is known solely from soft sediments from {{convert|360-1000|m|abbr=on}} deep, with most specimens recorded at depths of {{convert|400-900|m|abbr=on}}.{{Cite web|url=https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/162917/953097|title=Opisthoteuthis mero|website=IUCN Red List of Threatened Species|access-date=2018-10-27}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.sealifebase.ca/summary/Opisthoteuthis-mero.html|title=Opisthoteuthis mero|website=www.sealifebase.ca|language=en|access-date=2018-10-27}} The type locality of O. mero is: 36°52'S, 176°19'E, 510 m, on the northern end of New Zealand. This species was originally found in virtually all waters surrounding New Zealand.{{Cite web|url=http://tolweb.org/Opisthoteuthis_mero/20163|title=Opisthoteuthis mero|website=tolweb.org|access-date=2018-10-27}}
Conservation
O. mero is listed as Endangered by the IUCN due to the effects of commercial deep-water trawling upon population size. Prior to 1998, Opisthoteuthis species were common bycatch species from scampi fisheries in the Bay of Plenty and Auckland Islands. The longevity of Opisthoteuthis species along with their low fecundity and slow growth (primarily within embryonic development which may take 1.4-2.6 years among other species in the genus) have made many species easily susceptible to precipitous population declines, and slow recoveries.
References
{{Reflist}}
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Category:Cephalopods of Oceania
Category:Endemic molluscs of New Zealand
Category:Molluscs of the Pacific Ocean