[Octopus]: Pandora - O. joubini? Tom's Pick

Identification: joubini vs. briareus

Yesterday I got a new briareus (journal later) but now I can post some differences in their appearances. Even though Pandora's arms were all unnaturally shortened, they were still proportionally shorter to her body than a briareus. She displayed all the red and white of a briareus, but didn't have that blueish sheen. This difference wouldn't be apparent if you were only viewing under red lights! Pandora's skin was also much smoother, but again, if the only the octo's eyes are peeking out- this will not be an observable difference. Pandora had lots less webbing than a briareus. The joubini's eyes were different, too, but it's hard to describe. Pandora would always have one eye poking out, and as I approached she responded with color change around the eye, turning more red. The briareus have eyes that are more uniformly red and red more of the time. This new half grown briareus is still larger than Pandora full grown.

I can see how difficult it is for a collector to tell these animals apart- especially if they were very small. Under red or darker light, they look very much alike. You really have to know to look for that blueish sheen and more textured skin, but mostly the WEBBING!
 
The eye difference may have been age so it may not qualify as a diagnostic difference. Perhaps I will be able to reaffirm your observations tomorrow though :sagrin:
 
NO! WAIT! The new cutie is a little mercatoris. Surely I have earned enought credits to keep a merc regardless of any other species in residence!!! So, OK, I have two briareus, one hummelincki/filosis and now the merc but Creepy was so badly short armed I don't know that he will ever be social and Maya is post brood.
 

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