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I have been trying to find official identifying descriptions for the hummelincki and have discovered that most of the research dates back to the 1950's or earlier (pre SCUBA). The descriptions are all based on dead animals (most killed in situ to extract them) with preservation artifacts or non-display of critical information disagreement of itentifying traits of a live animal. Of particular note is the wide discrepency of the ocelli (all confirm there is one) and sizes. In the case of the third listing, the ocelli description is for bimac and NOT hummelincki (all other references do not mention a chain and personal observations from photos as well as live animals denies the existence of a chain).
Size also varies widely. The older journals describe pygmy sized adults but in at least one collection a much larger animal is described as an anomaly. Other large specimens are noted but the authors were convinced the species was the same. No suggestions were attempted as to why some hummelincki are significantly larger than the first described and greater numbers in the various collections.
The article copy in the next post specifically notes that the living animal barely resembles the preserved ones and would easily be considered a different species.
List of articles/journals located:
A Study of the Morphology and Biology of Octopus Hummelincki - article may be viewed without subscription
American Journal of Conchology, Volume 3, Description of Two New Species of Cephalopods Octopus Filosa Google books See page 240 for entered description
FAO SPECIES CATALOGUE FIR/S125 Vol. 3 VOL. 3. CEPHALOPODS OF THE WORLD - PDF, free access
ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/009/ac479e/AC479E33.pdf (search hummelincki)
FAO SPECIES IDENTIFICATION GUIDE FOR FISHERY PURPOSES - PDF, free access
ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/009/y4160e/y4160e14.pdf (search hummelincki)
Notes on Cephalopods from the Caribbean abstract only.
Website: Marine Science Center - Field guide to marine inhabitants - Invertebrates This one was particularly amusing because of the final statement on the page.
Size also varies widely. The older journals describe pygmy sized adults but in at least one collection a much larger animal is described as an anomaly. Other large specimens are noted but the authors were convinced the species was the same. No suggestions were attempted as to why some hummelincki are significantly larger than the first described and greater numbers in the various collections.
The article copy in the next post specifically notes that the living animal barely resembles the preserved ones and would easily be considered a different species.
List of articles/journals located:
A Study of the Morphology and Biology of Octopus Hummelincki - article may be viewed without subscription
American Journal of Conchology, Volume 3, Description of Two New Species of Cephalopods Octopus Filosa Google books See page 240 for entered description
FAO SPECIES CATALOGUE FIR/S125 Vol. 3 VOL. 3. CEPHALOPODS OF THE WORLD - PDF, free access
ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/009/ac479e/AC479E33.pdf (search hummelincki)
FAO SPECIES IDENTIFICATION GUIDE FOR FISHERY PURPOSES - PDF, free access
ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/009/y4160e/y4160e14.pdf (search hummelincki)
Notes on Cephalopods from the Caribbean abstract only.
Website: Marine Science Center - Field guide to marine inhabitants - Invertebrates This one was particularly amusing because of the final statement on the page.