Octopus with blue rings?

[red_infinity]

I was on a night dive looking for lobsters last night, when I ran into an octopus with two blue rings on it. I don't have a picture, but the blue rings were 1/4 of an inch below each of its eyes. I've never seen an octopus like that. Does anyone know the different species of octopus here in SoCal? I never really figured out if the octopi I see have any common names, but seeing this one sparked my curiosity.

 

[Zeeman]

That'll be a blue ringed octopus, and it's venom can kill you - so don't touch it.. They are very cool looking though...

 

[MissyP]

I was on a night dive looking for lobsters last night, when I ran into an octopus with two blue rings on it. I don't have a picture, but the blue rings were 1/4 of an inch below each of its eyes. I've never seen an octopus like that. Does anyone know the different species of octopus here in SoCal? I never really figured out if the octopi I see have any common names, but seeing this one sparked my curiosity.

Octopus bimaculatus/Octopus bimaculoides, aka the two spot octopus... its one of our local species. And not venomous........................... lol

(pics from Divebums.com)

 

[jonix]

this one?

The blue-ringed octopus

 

[Thalassamania]

Blue-ringed octopus is not found of the California Coast, two-spot on the other hand is.

 

[BKP]

Spot Octo... not dangerous (some people keep 'em for pets)

 

[jonix]

yeah the blue ringed one as i recall is endemic to the australasia region. unless it got a cheap ticket to the west coast

 

[Thalassamania]

 

[Sam Miller III]

It is questionable that the famed blue ringed octopus the "Octopus Maculosus" and it's closely related species the "Octopus Lunulatus" was encounterd as they are native to and generally found in and around Australia.

The o. maculosus is a small creature about 8 inch span and are always identified by the two blue rings. Its bite is very venomous and certainly capable of and has on numerous occasions produced death in humans.

It is my considered opinion that you did not encounter one,but rather the local species..

sdm

 

[divad]

Is there another octopus with blue rings endemic to the Atlantic ocean? I saw a little one with flashing blue rings at LBTS two or three years ago and have been wondering about it since then. Maybe it had outgrown someones aquarium?