The very first octopus I had, in high school, probably about the year 2000 looked very much like all the pictures I'm seeing in the gallery of Mercatoris. It was sold to me as a vulgaris. Were they being imported back then? I wish I had any pics, but this was pre-everyone having a digital camera days. The color and shape and size seem about right. It was also extremely secretive and shy compared to the bimac I had later.