Octopus pallidus
Pale octopus
Distribution
Temperate Australasia
Description
Large body, short solid arms and reddish brown to orange colouration. This species often raises the skin on the body in relatively long, spiky protuberances. It occurs commonly on sand among sponges, gorgonians and other attached invertebrates. Moderate numbers are captured commercially in Tasmania using plastic pots that are placed on the sandy bottom for several days and retrieved with newly settled inhabitants.
Information
Max Size: 35 cm
Sea Temperature Range: 14.7-21.3°C
Depth: 0-275m
Habitat Generalization Index: N/A
Also referred to as the SGI (Species Generalisation Index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here.
Conservation and Rarity
IUCN Status: Not Evaluated
Occurrence: Rare (0.4% 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