Common Octopus
Octopus vulgaris
Also known as: Common Atlantic Octopus, Common Reef Octopus, Reef Octopus, Scuttle, Small Common Octopus
- Common Atlantic Octopus
- Common Reef Octopus
- Reef Octopus
- Scuttle
- Small Common Octopus
Overview
Found singly, in their lairs, or foraging for food over mud, rock, and sandy bottoms, of coastlines, to the edge of the continental shelf. Changing colour to match their surroundings.
Widespread Circumglobal
This octopus is harvested off the north western coast of Africa as many as 20,000 tonnes annually.
Octopus make their homes in holes in the reef or bury in the sand.
They can often be found by the tell tail debris outside the holes.
Octopus feed by grabbing their prey with their tentacles or by spreading their skirt (the webbing between their tentacles) over the reef and hoovering up underneath.
They have a beak for biting their prey, the bite quickly paralyses their prey.
Some of the smaller Octopus are venomous to humans.
How to identify
- Pattern
- blotches
Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.
Habitat & where to find it
- Range · Worldwide
- Exact location · 1
- Country only · 20
Found singly, in their lairs, or foraging for food over mud, rock, and sandy bottoms, of coastlines, to the edge of the continental shelf.
Adult photos 21
Discussion
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Deep dive
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