Callistoctopus macropus, also known as the Atlantic white-spotted octopus, white-spotted octopus,[2][3]grass octopus or grass scuttle, is a species of octopus found in shallow areas of the Mediterranean Sea, the warmer parts of the eastern and western Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and the Indo-Pacific region. This octopus feeds on small organisms which lurk among the branches of corals.
Callistoctopus macropus grows to a mantle length of 20 cm (8 in) with a total length of 150 cm (59 in). The first pair of arms are a metre or so long, and are much longer than the remaining three pairs. The arms are all connected by a shallow web. This octopus is red, with white blotches on its body, and paired white spots on its arms. When it is disturbed, its colour becomes more intense, deimatic behaviour which may make it appear threatening to a potential predator.[4]
Distribution and habitatedit
Populations of Callistoctopus macropus form a species complex found in the Mediterranean Sea, the temperate and tropical Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. It is also present in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. It lives near the shore at depths down to about 17 m (56 ft). Its favoured habitat is sand, rubble or seagrass meadows, and it sometimes buries itself under the sand.[4]
Ecologyedit
Callistoctopus macropus
Callistoctopus macropus is more fastidious in its diet than is the common octopus (Octopus vulgaris), a species with which it shares some of its range and which feeds by day.[5]Callistoctopus macropus, by contrast, feeds by night.[4] Its method of feeding is to move from one clump of branching coral to another, often Acropora or Stylophora spp.. The octopus wraps its mantle around a coral head and probes with its arms among the branches, searching for the small fish and invertebrates that seek protection there. It has been found that a number of groupers (family Serranidae) and other predatory fish associate with the octopus when it is feeding, pouncing on small organisms that are flushed from the coral head by the octopus.[6]
For many years, the breeding habits of this octopus were not known. Then a female was observed attaching short-stalked eggs, measuring 4 by 1.2 mm (0.16 by 0.05 in), to a hard surface forming a sheet of eggs. The female then brooded the eggs, caring for them by aerating them and keeping them clean. The female octopus stopped feeding at the time the eggs were laid and died soon after they had hatched, as is common among octopus species. The planktonic larvae which emerged from the eggs were each about 5.5 mm (0.2 in) in length with short, seven-suckered arms. They fed on zooplankton such as crustacean larvae.[4][7]
Referencesedit
^Allcock, L.; Taite, M.; Allen, G. (2018). "Callistoctopus macropus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T163354A1001383. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T163354A1001383.en. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
^Norman, M.D. 2000. Cephalopods: A World Guide. ConchBooks.
^ abcdWigton, Rachel. Wood, James B. (ed.). . Marine Invertebrates of Bermuda. The Cephalopod Page. Archived from the original on 2016-01-19. Retrieved 2014-07-25.
^Meisel, Daniela V.; Byrne, Ruth A.; Kuba, Michael; Mather, Jennifer; Ploberger, Werner; Reschenhofer, Erhard (2006). "Contrasting activity patterns of two related octopus species, Octopus macropus and Octopus vulgaris". Journal of Comparative Psychology. 120 (3): 191–197. doi:10.1037/0735-7036.120.3.191. PMID 16893256.
^Diamant, Ariel; Shpigel, Mucky (1995). "Interspecific feeding associations of groupers (Teleostei: Serranidae) with octopuses and moray eels in the Gulf of Eilat (Agaba)". Environmental Biology of Fishes. 13 (2): 153–159. doi:10.1007/BF00002584. S2CID 45887863.
^Boletsky, Sigurd v.; Fuentès, Michael; Offner, Nicolas (2001). "First record of spawning and embryonic development in Octopus macropus (Mollusca: Cephalopoda)". Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the UK. 81 (4): 703–704. doi:10.1017/S002531540100443X. S2CID 85695823.
Norman M.D. & Hochberg F.G. (2005) The current state of Octopus taxonomy. Phuket Marine Biological Center Research Bulletin 66:127–154
External linksedit
Photos of Callistoctopus macropus on Sealife Collection
April 30, 2024
callistoctopus, macropus, also, known, atlantic, white, spotted, octopus, white, spotted, octopus, grass, octopus, grass, scuttle, species, octopus, found, shallow, areas, mediterranean, warmer, parts, eastern, western, atlantic, ocean, caribbean, indo, pacifi. Callistoctopus macropus also known as the Atlantic white spotted octopus white spotted octopus 2 3 grass octopus or grass scuttle is a species of octopus found in shallow areas of the Mediterranean Sea the warmer parts of the eastern and western Atlantic Ocean the Caribbean Sea and the Indo Pacific region This octopus feeds on small organisms which lurk among the branches of corals Atlantic white spotted octopus Callistoctopus macropus Conservation status Least Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Mollusca Class Cephalopoda Order Octopoda Family Octopodidae Genus Callistoctopus Species C macropus Binomial name Callistoctopus macropus Risso 1826 Synonyms Octopus alderii Verany 1851 Octopus didynamus Rafinesque 1814 Octopus frayedus Rafinesque 1814 Octopus granosus Blainville 1826 Octopus leschenaultii d Orbigny 1826 dubious synonym Octopus longimanus Ferussac 1839 in Ferussac amp d Orbigny 1834 1848 Octopus macropodus SanGiovanni 1829 Octopus macropus Risso 1826 Octopus verrilli palliata Robson 1929 Polypus macropus Risso 1826 Tremoctopus scalenus Hoyle 1904 Contents 1 Description 2 Distribution and habitat 3 Ecology 4 References 5 External linksDescription editCallistoctopus macropus grows to a mantle length of 20 cm 8 in with a total length of 150 cm 59 in The first pair of arms are a metre or so long and are much longer than the remaining three pairs The arms are all connected by a shallow web This octopus is red with white blotches on its body and paired white spots on its arms When it is disturbed its colour becomes more intense deimatic behaviour which may make it appear threatening to a potential predator 4 Distribution and habitat editPopulations of Callistoctopus macropus form a species complex found in the Mediterranean Sea the temperate and tropical Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea It is also present in the Pacific and Indian Oceans It lives near the shore at depths down to about 17 m 56 ft Its favoured habitat is sand rubble or seagrass meadows and it sometimes buries itself under the sand 4 Ecology edit nbsp Callistoctopus macropus Callistoctopus macropus is more fastidious in its diet than is the common octopus Octopus vulgaris a species with which it shares some of its range and which feeds by day 5 Callistoctopus macropus by contrast feeds by night 4 Its method of feeding is to move from one clump of branching coral to another often Acropora or Stylophora spp The octopus wraps its mantle around a coral head and probes with its arms among the branches searching for the small fish and invertebrates that seek protection there It has been found that a number of groupers family Serranidae and other predatory fish associate with the octopus when it is feeding pouncing on small organisms that are flushed from the coral head by the octopus 6 For many years the breeding habits of this octopus were not known Then a female was observed attaching short stalked eggs measuring 4 by 1 2 mm 0 16 by 0 05 in to a hard surface forming a sheet of eggs The female then brooded the eggs caring for them by aerating them and keeping them clean The female octopus stopped feeding at the time the eggs were laid and died soon after they had hatched as is common among octopus species The planktonic larvae which emerged from the eggs were each about 5 5 mm 0 2 in in length with short seven suckered arms They fed on zooplankton such as crustacean larvae 4 7 References edit Allcock L Taite M Allen G 2018 Callistoctopus macropus IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018 e T163354A1001383 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2018 2 RLTS T163354A1001383 en Retrieved 18 February 2022 Norman M D 2000 Cephalopods A World Guide ConchBooks Bouchet P 2014 Callistoctopus macropus Risso 1826 Accessed through World Register of Marine Species at http www marinespecies org aphia php p taxdetails amp id 534558 on 2015 02 01 a b c d Wigton Rachel Wood James B ed Grass octopus Octopus macropus Marine Invertebrates of Bermuda The Cephalopod Page Archived from the original on 2016 01 19 Retrieved 2014 07 25 Meisel Daniela V Byrne Ruth A Kuba Michael Mather Jennifer Ploberger Werner Reschenhofer Erhard 2006 Contrasting activity patterns of two related octopus species Octopus macropus and Octopus vulgaris Journal of Comparative Psychology 120 3 191 197 doi 10 1037 0735 7036 120 3 191 PMID 16893256 Diamant Ariel Shpigel Mucky 1995 Interspecific feeding associations of groupers Teleostei Serranidae with octopuses and moray eels in the Gulf of Eilat Agaba Environmental Biology of Fishes 13 2 153 159 doi 10 1007 BF00002584 S2CID 45887863 Boletsky Sigurd v Fuentes Michael Offner Nicolas 2001 First record of spawning and embryonic development in Octopus macropus Mollusca Cephalopoda Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the UK 81 4 703 704 doi 10 1017 S002531540100443X S2CID 85695823 Norman M D amp Hochberg F G 2005 The current state of Octopus taxonomy Phuket Marine Biological Center Research Bulletin 66 127 154External links editPhotos of Callistoctopus macropus on Sealife Collection Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Callistoctopus macropus amp oldid 1072668918, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
