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Common octopus
Look closely at the common octopus: its changing colors, sturdy arms and paired rows of suckers offer clues that a single photograph can easily hide.
Discover the expedition atlasQuestions, adaptations and evidence
Look closely at the common octopus: its changing colors, sturdy arms and paired rows of suckers offer clues that a single photograph can easily hide.
Start with the questions below, follow the linked evidence, then try the discovery challenge with someone else.
Questions worth exploring
DodoHistory field notes · Sources checked
What features help identify a common octopus?
MarLIN describes a textured, warty body and sturdy arms with two rows of suckers. Look for a combination of features. A color match alone is weak evidence because this animal can change its appearance.
Marine Biological Association · MarLIN common octopus ↗Does it always have the same color?
No. Its color can vary with the situation, including gray, yellow, brown and green tones. Two photographs showing different colors need not show different species.
Marine Biological Association · MarLIN common octopus ↗What habitat does it use?
Rocky coasts and shallow seabed habitats are among the places it lives. MarLIN records it down to about 200 metres. That depth range describes recorded habitat, not a prediction of where a visitor will find an octopus.
Marine Biological Association · MarLIN common octopus ↗Is every “common octopus” record the same species?
Use care with older worldwide range descriptions. Research distinguishes several closely related species in the Octopus vulgaris complex. A recent regional review places O. vulgaris in the Mediterranean and along Atlantic coasts of Europe and Africa.
Devon & Severn IFCA · Octopus biology and evidence review (PDF) ↗
