@article{Zecchini_Vecchione_Belcari_Roper_2012, title={Development of the hectocotylus in Illex coindetii (Verany 1837) (Cephalopoda: Ommastrephidae)}, volume={76}, url={https://scientiamarina.revistas.csic.es/index.php/scientiamarina/article/view/1345}, DOI={10.3989/scimar.03305.07D}, abstractNote={Species of the genus <i>Illex</i> (Family Ommastrephidae) are distinguished morphologically mainly based on differences in the hectocotylus, the modified arm that males of many cephalopod species use to transfer spermatophores to females during mating We examined the developmental details of the hectocotylus in <i>Illex coindetii</i>, the species of <i>Illex</i> with the most highly modified hectocotylized arm, to determine whether it has an ontogeny that passes through stages that are similar to the less modified hectocotyli of sympatric <i>I. illecebrosus</i> and <i>I. oxygonius</i> The development of modifications of one of the ventral arms is essentially synchronous on all portions. The hectocotylus of <i>I. coindetii</i> is therefore morphologically distinctive even at early maturity stages, and therefore should not be easily confused with that of its sympatric congeners.}, number={3}, journal={Scientia Marina}, author={Zecchini, Fulvio and Vecchione, Michael and Belcari, Paola and Roper, Clyde F.E.}, year={2012}, month={Sep.}, pages={463–472} }