Caribbean Reef Octopus
Body: Their Mantle is about 5 inches, however they can reach up to 23 inches. Their overall size varies depending on what region they live. Their head and arms are very large and thick. they prefer to lie flat to the ground in order to disguise themselves. These octopi tend to be pretty slow but they are better at disguising themselves than other species. They often will open their legs up on the ground so that they have the shape of a parachute.
Coloring: Their normal color is a bluish green. They have some different shades of brown but the blue and green are what stand out. These octopi have dark circle of color around their eyes. They often get mistaken for the Common Octopus but the eyes of the Caribbean Reef have the circles Common Octopus's do not. The Caribbean Reef Octopus can easily change its color to better fit it's surroundings. Habitat: These octopi are widely distributed they prefer warm areas that have sea grass. The most common places they live are in the Bahamas, Caribbean, and along parts of the Atlantic Ocean especially the western areas. They move around a lot and don't like staying in one spot for more than one or two weeks. The females, who have eggs, will stay in one spot until their eggs hatch or they die. Behavior: These octopi are extremely territorial. If another octopus even glides by they will go out of hiding in order to confront it. If the trespassing octopus does not retreat they will then fight. One often kills the other by strangulation and then continues to eat the loser. If they are threatened by a predator and cannot get away they will curl into a ball by wrapping the tentacles around their head so that the vital organs are protected. Diet: They mostly feed at night and eat crustaceans. They catch them in their tentacles and give the first initial bite to release their venom. Once the animal is paralyzed the octopus is able to bite through the shell and eat the meat inside. Occasionally they will eat small fish. Mating: This usually happens between December and March. The males will find a female and then latch on top of her head and begin mating. The entire mating process takes about 80 minutes. When the mating is done the males swim away and usually die within a few weeks. The females will then guard the eggs for 65 days until they hatch. During this time she doesn't even leave the nest to eat and her body starts slowly dying. After the eggs hatch she will die. |