Blue-Ringed Octopus

Classification Information The Common name for this animal is, the Blue-Ringed octopus. The scientific name for the Blue-Ringed octopus is: Hapalochlaena maculosa. Kingdom name: Animalia. Phylum name: Mollusca. Class name: Cephalopoda.

Common Characteristics The main advantage of the Blue-Ringed octopus is its camoflauge. Also the venom is 10,000 times more toxic than cyanide. Radial Symmetry: A basic body plan in which the organism can be divided into similar halves by passing a plane at any angle along a central axis, characteristic of sessile and bottom dwelling animals, as the sea anemone and starfish. The body cavity for the Blue-Ringed octopus is coelomate. The Blue-Ringed octopus is a omnivore. This octopus shows segmentation of the head, and thorax.

Life Cycle/Reproduction The average life span of a Blue-Ringed octopus is 2 years. Typically 50-100 eggs are produced by a female. The mating ritual for the blue-ringed octopus begins when a male approaches a female and begins to caress her with his modified arm, the hectocotylus. A male mates with a female by grabbing her mantle, which sometimes completely obscures the female's vision, then transferring sperm packets by inserting his hectocotylus into her mantle cavity over and over again. Mating continues until the female has had enough. The Blue Ringed octopus reproduces sexually. Diagram of Life Cycle: Eggs hatch, the young larval octopus feeds on copepods. It grows at a rapid rate, increases body mass 5% every day. Once it is fully grown (1 or 2 years old) it is ready to mate. Male dies within a few months of mating, and the female dies right around when the eggs hatch.

Description of Habitat The Blue Ringed octopus habitats are shallow marine waters and tide pools. They live off the coast of Australia and the western pacific ocean. There diet consists of crabs, mollusks, and fish if they can catch them.

Special Characteristics The Blue Ringed octopus itself is special because of its small size, toxic venom and flashy colors. It only lives off the coast off the coast of Australia and the western Pacific ocean. It can also blend into its surroundings like a sea floor, or reef.