Octopus

ID points

• Eight arms of equal length, each with two rows of suckers
• Colour and skin texture can change completely within seconds
• No skeleton; can squeeze through extremely narrow gaps

Basics

Family

Octopodidae

Length

30–100 cm

Depth

0-200 m

Regions

Indo-Pacific reefs · Caribbean & W. Atlantic · Open ocean · Deep sea

Distribution

All oceans worldwide, from the intertidal zone to the deep sea

Habitat

Rocky reefs and dens, shallow to deep

Diet

Crabs, molluscs, small fish

Easily confused with

Blue-ringed OctopusElectric blue rings flare over the whole body when it is provokedMimic OctopusBold brown and white stripes cover the armsTitan TriggerfishLarge and heavily built, dark green to yellow-brown

Fun fact

An octopus has three hearts and blue blood, and about two thirds of its neurons, roughly 67 per cent, sit in the arms, which can think and act on their own. It is the cleverest of all invertebrates, able to unscrew jars, use tools and recognise human faces, and it can change colour in an instant to disappear.