Abdopus aculeatus (d'Orbigny 1834) Algae/Shaggy Octopus

[monty]

Is there a consensus in the taxonomic community as to whether we should say Abdopus aculeatus or Octopus aculeatus? I saw that it's A. on Mucktopus' web site, referring to Norman, yet Norman's book says O.

And is Abdopus now synonymous with "Octopus Horridus Complex"?

Just curious...

EDIT (DWhatley) 2018

Fun fact: I could not find out the meaning of "A. aculeatus", so I asked a person fluid in Latin. Turns out "Abdopus" means "hidden, concealed" and "aculeatus" means "sharp" - "pointy" as well as "smart".

 

[tonmo]

I had never heard of Abdopus.

Bumping this in hopes Chrissy stops by!

 

[Neogonodactylus]

Crissy can probably straighten this out better than I can, but see:

NORMAN, M.D. & FINN, J. 2001. Revision of the Octopus horridus species-group,
including erection of a new subgenus and description of two member species from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Invertebrate Taxonomy. 15: 13 – 35.

The description of O. aculeatus was originally by D’ORBIGNY in 1834.

Roy

 

[jc45]

NORMAN, M.D. & FINN, J. 2001. Revision of the Octopus horridus species-group,
including erection of a new subgenus and description of two member species from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Invertebrate Taxonomy. 15: 13 – 35.

Here's the abstract of that article...

http://www.publish.csiro.au/?paper=IT99018

Attributes of this group of octopuses are described and the subgenus Abdopus, subgen. nov. is here coined to define this group.

So it looks like Abdopus is the genus for the O. horridus species complex. I'm interested in reading the paper.

Joey

 

[mucktopus]

Norman coined the "Octopus horridus" species group in his dissertation (1993). He and Finn (2001) then erected the Abdopus sub-genus for this group. In 2005 Norman and Hochberg elevated Abdopus to a genus, and also resurrected several old generic names for other species groups (i.e. Callistoctopus for the Octopus macropus group; "The Cutrrent State of Octopus Taxonomy" from the proceedings of the 2003 the meeting of the Cephalopod International Advisory Committee).

So long story short- Joey is correct- the former "Octopus horridus species group" is now the genus Abdopus, and includes the species: A. horridus, A. aculeatus, A. abaculus, A. capricornus, and several others we hope to have described in the next year or so.

hope this helps,
Crissy

 

[Architeuthoceras]

Is there a consensus in the taxonomic community

Never, always someone new to throw a wrench in the gears!

 

[Taollan]

In 2005 Norman and Hochberg elevated Abdopus to a genus, and also resurrected several old generic names for other species groups (i.e. Callistoctopus for the Octopus macropus group; "The Cutrrent State of Octopus Taxonomy" from the proceedings of the 2003 the meeting of the Cephalopod International Advisory Committee).

So I am guessing this is the same paper O'Shea rants about here: Pinnoctopus, Enteroctopus or Octopus...

 

[mosthated]

Here is the link to a paper done by crissy huffard on abdopus aculeatus and its natural settings,, I got the ok to share this here..
"Thanks Again!"

http://www.orbitfiles.com/download/id2148308471.html

edit DWhatley: see post #6 for new link

 

[Bigpapa]

Got it , Great Thanks!!!

 

[simple]

I finished reading it today in my spare time at school, it was very interesting, especially how sometimes a male and female will form dens adjacent to each other and mate with out either of them leaving their den.

 

[tonmo]

Thanks for sharing! For those who don't know, Chrissy Hufford is "mucktopus" on TONMO.com.

 

[mosthated]

didnt know that lol

 

[DWhatley]

Mating Octopus (Abdopus aculeatus) TONMO and Roy Caldwell collaboration Feb 6 2010


Ethogram of Abdopus aculeatus (d'Orbigny, 1834) (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae): Can behavioural characters inform octopodid taxomony and systematics? Christine Huffard (Mucktopus) 2006 - full article, full pdf available from this site.

Mating behavior of Abdopus aculeatus (d’Orbigny 1834) (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae) in the wild Christine L. HuVard (erata Huffard Muctopus) · Roy L. Caldwell (Neogonodactylus) · Farnis Boneka 2007 full pdf

Locomotion by Abdopus aculeatus (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae): walking the line between primary and secondary defenses. Christine Huffard (Mucktopus) 2006

Locomotion by Abdopus aculeatus (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae): walking the line between primary and secondary defenses - SUPPLEMENTARY .mov videos

 

[mucktopus]

Abdopus aculeatus ethogram
Given the number of questions about A. aculeatus body patterning and behavior, I looked into posting a paper describing its basic natural history and body patterning. Turns out the journal policy seems ok with this. Hope this is useful!

They do specify though that the citation be listed:
Huffard, C.L. (2007) Ethogram of Abdopus aculeatus (d’Orbigny, 1834) (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae): can behavioral characters inform octopodid taxomony and systematics? Journal of Molluscan Studies 73: 185-193

 

[DWhatley]

Video

National Geographic video of aculeatus escaping ornatus

National Geographic