Macroctopus maorum, Port Davey, TAS, Photo: Ian Shaw
Distribution
Temperate Australasia
Description
Dark red colour, smooth skin, long arms of unequal length and the head being separated from the body by a distinct constriction. For a long time this species was known as O. flindersi, but recent work indicates that Australian animals are the same as the New Zealand-named species O. maorum. This octopus is a major predator of rock lobsters and is caught incidentally in lobster pots in sufficient quantities to be commercially important in its own right in South Australia.
Information
Max Size: 198 cm
Depth: 0-549m
Habitat: Rocky Reef, Soft sediment
Rarity
IUCN Threat Status: Not Evaluated
Occurrence: Infrequent (4% of sites)
Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution.
It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed
Abundance: Solitary (1 per transect)
Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.
Edit by: GJ Edgar. 2008. Australian Marine Life. New Holland, Sydney
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