Day Octopus (species: Octopus cyanea) in Lizard Island area: all known taxa (Lizard Island Field Guide)
Lizard Island area: all known taxa > Animalia > Mollusca > Cephalopoda > Coleoidea > Octopoda > Octopodidae > Octopus > Octopus cyanea (gallery)
Octopus cyanea
Day Octopus


©Anne Hoggett: Octopus cyanea hunting at night, Clam Garden, Lizard Island

©Lyle Vail: Octopus cyanea in shallow water

©Lyle Vail: The same Octopus cyanea individual as above, colour and texture changed

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Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Mollusca
Class Cephalopoda
Order Octopoda
Family Octopodidae
Genus Octopus
Species Octopus cyanea
Status unspecified

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Lizard Island Field Guide
Lizard Island area: all known taxa

Colours

                        

Distinguishing features

A large octopus that is active during the day. Colour and texture can be changed rapidly. In some colour patterns, a dark false eyespot is visible between the bases of the middle pair of arms on each side. In most other colour patterns, a ridge of skin shows the location of the spots. Arms tips have rows of white spots. (Norman, 2000)

Size

  • Up to 80 cm (Arm length) - applies to Arm length

Synonyms

Distribution


©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution

Local abundance

  • Lizard Island, Queensland, Australia: Fairly abundant at Lizard Island but often cryptic

Web resources

References

References that assist with identification

  • Norman, M. (2000). Cephalopods: A world guide ConchBooks, Hackenheim, Germany.

Other references

  • Huffard, C.L., N. Saarman, H. Hamilton and W.B. Simpson (2010). The evolution of conspicuous facultative mimicry in octopuses: an example of secondary adaptation? Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 101: 68-77. LIRS catalog number 1359.
  • Roper, C.F.E. and F.G. Hochberg (1986). Color and body patterns in cephalopods from Lizard Island, Australia,Unpublished manuscript. LIRS catalog number 204.
  • View all references