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Common Octopus

Mollusks
Common Octopus

The common octopus is a highly intelligent marine mollusk found in temperate and tropical coastal waters worldwide, particularly common in the Mediterranean Sea and eastern Atlantic Ocean, where it lives on the seafloor among rocks, reefs and sandy or muddy bottoms. It has a soft, boneless body with eight arms lined with powerful suckers, and it is capable of squeezing through remarkably small gaps, changing the color and texture of its skin almost instantly for camouflage or communication, and releasing a cloud of ink to escape predators. Common octopuses are solitary, mostly nocturnal hunters that feed on crabs, mollusks and small fish, using both stealth and considerable problem-solving intelligence documented in numerous studies, including tool use, maze navigation and the ability to open jars to reach food. The species has a short lifespan of only one to two years, typically dying shortly after reproducing, a life history pattern known as semelparity that is common among octopuses despite their behavioral sophistication.

Facts
Classification
Diet
Carnivore 2
System (Realm)
Marine 3
Relationship to People
Hunted or Fished 2
Living or Extinct
Yes 4
Comparison
NatureServe Rank
GNR Unranked 5
CITES Appendix
Not Listed 6
Identification
Distinguishing Appearance
A soft, boneless bulbous mantle trailing eight long tapering arms lined with rows of suckers, with no external shell. 1
Scientific Name
Octopus vulgaris 4
Conservation Status
Least Concern 2
Connections

Child Taxon Of

Octopoda, Taxa
Source Wikidata: Common Octopus

In Biome

Coral Reef, Biomes
Source Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Octopus vulgaris (Animal Diversity Web)
In the Other Atlases

Found In

Belgium

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Benin

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Chile

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Comoros

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Denmark

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Eritrea

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

France

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Ireland

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Kenya

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Madagascar

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Morocco

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Mozambique

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Namibia

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Netherlands

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Norway

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Portugal

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

South Africa

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Spain

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Turkey

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

United Kingdom

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

United States

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Sources
1. Common Octopus (Wikipedia)
Characteristics section
Quote, Characteristics section
Octopus vulgaris grows to 25 cm (10 inches) in mantle length with arms up to 1 m (3.3 feet) long.
2. Wikipedia: Common Octopus
Wikipedia
  • Characteristics
    O. vulgaris is caught by bottom trawls on a huge scale off the northwestern coast of Africa.
  • Infobox: status
    LC
View the Source
3. GBIF Species API
GBIF Species APIView the Source
4. Wikidata: Common Octopus
Wikidata
  • Wikidata Q651361, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)
  • Statements section, conservation status (P141)
    IUCN Red List conservation status (Wikidata property P141): least concern.
  • Wikidata Q651361 (P225 taxon name)
  • Child Taxon Of: Octopoda, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chain
View the Source
5. NatureServe Explorer: Octopus vulgaris
NatureServe ExplorerGlobal rank (roundedGRank)
Quote, Global rank (roundedGRank)
"roundedGRank": "GNR"
View the Source
6. UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat): Species+: Cephalopoda
UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat)Species+ taxon_concepts, id 67993
Quote, Species+ taxon_concepts, id 67993
"cites_listing":"II/NC","eu_listing":"B/NC","higher_taxa":{"kingdom":"Animalia","phylum":"Mollusca","class":"Cephalopoda","order":null,"family":null},"synonyms":[],"common_names":[{"name":"头足纲","language":"ZH"}],"cites_listings":[]
View the Source
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Octopus vulgaris (Animal Diversity Web)
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of ZoologyIn Biome: Coral Reef, Habitat: Aquatic Biomes
Quote, In Biome: Coral Reef, Habitat: Aquatic Biomes
Aquatic Biomes benthic benthic reef reef coastal coastal
View the Source
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