Cephalopod treasure for Dr. Bill, Frank and Charlie

Merry · Oct 9, 2011

East Pacific Red Octopus - Octopus rubescens

Unlike other eggs we've found, these egg clusters contain embryos at different stages of development.

This octopus is guarding an empty nest. Most of the embryos have hatched and all that remains are eggs that were either unfertilized or perhaps failed to develop.

drbill · Oct 10, 2011

Thanks, Merry. So these were all Octopus rubescens nests. Maybe that's why I don't see them here on the island.

FrankPro1 · Oct 10, 2011

Great find! The 2nd shot is my favorite. From all the "Likes" you've got in this post, it seems you have more fans then you thought

What are the identifying markers that make these individuals an East Pacific Red Octopus?

Merry · Oct 10, 2011

FrankPro1:
What are the identifying markers that make these individuals an East Pacific Red Octopus?

The red octopus is small; the adult weighs only about 1/2 lb. Its color ranges from dull red to mottled white. Common at Vet's Park, I've seen one that appeared to mimic a Kellet's whelk!

The two species of the (larger) two-spot octopus have an eye spot below each eye. Dr. Bill's columns have the info on these guys.

MaxBottomtime · Oct 10, 2011

Octopus bimaculatus, California two-spot

Octopus rubescens
Common in sandy plains, canyons, tidepools and under rocks.

Octopus bimaculoides is very similar to Octopus bimaculatus, but the false eye under the mantle has an unbroken blue ring. If I'm not mistaken, they are more common on Catalina than the mainland.

drbill · Oct 11, 2011

Now that a fresh pathway has opened up into my memory banks, I think I did see a red octopus here... one that crawled out of a can one year at the Avalon Harbor Clean-Up dive.

drbill · Oct 11, 2011

MaxBottomtime:
Octopus bimaculoides is very similar to Octopus bimaculatus, but the false eye under the mantle has an unbroken blue ring. If I'm not mistaken, they are more common on Catalina than the mainland.

I beleve it has to do with the state of the young upon hatching. O. bimaculoides eggs hatch into a juvenile that stays near the original nest, then moves out while O. bimaculatus hatches into a planktonic form that is more subject to dispersal (such as to offshore islands). Of course the young of both species could disperse here on drifting material such as kelp rafts.

SPKelpDiver · Oct 13, 2011

Awesome!
Frank and I encountered an octopus today in the Garden at Marineland. I noticed a scattered shells and dead urchins scattered about, slowed down and found a pretty cool two spot. He was very curious. I presented him a piece of shell and he reached out with one tentacle, pulled it into his den and inspected it. I presented him a second a shell, and he did the same. I presented him another shell and he decided he was more interested in my fingers. He actually reached out with a second tentancle to feel my glove, and came half way out of his den to check me out. Very curious of who are what I was.

Very cool, Thanks Merry!

Cephalopod treasure for Dr. Bill, Frank and Charlie

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