Day Octopus
Octopus cyanea
Also known as: Big Blue Octopus, Big Red Octopus, Common Reef Octopus, Cyane's Octopus, Reef Octopus, Small Common Octopus
- Big Blue Octopus
- Big Red Octopus
- Common Reef Octopus
- Cyane's Octopus
- Reef Octopus
- Small Common Octopus
Overview
Found singly, on rock and sandy bottoms, occupies lairs in the coral bedrock, of dead and live corals, over lagoons and coastal reefs. Colour varies to blend in with surroundings.
They feed on bivalves and crustaceans.
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
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Habitat & where to find it
- Range · Indo-Pacific
- Exact location · 21
- Country only · 98
Found singly, on rock and sandy bottoms, occupies lairs in the coral bedrock, of dead and live corals, over lagoons and coastal reefs.
Adult photos 119
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