Octopus rubescens, not GPOs

[Andy Lister]

Nancy,

What are the differences between teh rubiscens and the GPO?? The photos look very similar to the last GPO I got from Living Elements. Is this a mistake that people can often make?

My GPO (?) died a few weeks back after me finding some eggs in the tank but was not all that big (about 150cm arm span) by the usual size i see them. Could I have had a rubiscens?

~Andy

 

[Nancy]

Hi Andy,

I think your octo was too big to be an O. rubescens.
They're hard to distinguish when they are smaller, and those whose photos I posted were still quite small. O. rubescens has a body of 10cm as an adult, arms to around 30 cm each, while, as you know, a GPO gets much larger.

The distinguishing features of O.rubescens are ring-like white markings. There are two pairs of these, one on the body and the other at the base of the arms in front of the eyes. These can be hard to see on younger octos.

I suspect that you had a smaller GPO - not all of them get so large.

And just a personal comment - a lot of people seem to get bitten by O. rubescens - I first encountered this in comments of divers. And sure enough, when I was visiting the NRCC, one of the little red octos bit Jonathan!

Nancy

 

[Andy Lister]

Fantastic, thanks Nancy!

I think he was slightly larger then wasn't he! Hehe

I got me a nice sweet little GPO now, around 75cm arm span... She needs a name!