Amazing cephalopod encounter
Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2023 8:04 am
I had the most bizarre and amazing encounter with a cephalopod this weekend at Salt Creek, WA! It turns out it was a 7-arm octopus, also known as a blob octopus. (The male looks like it has 7 arms because it tucks one in). These are a rarely-seen denizen of the deep, but at Salt Creek she was in just 10' of water! It was so bizarre that I hardly knew what I was looking at!
See https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CzU8CUXxL ... TUzagOs0-0 for a video about this species by Monterey Bay Aquarium. They eat jellyfish!
This specimen was 2.5-3' in length and they get up to 12'. Somebody mentioned they think this octo got injuries from a cookie cutter shark, given the circular wounds!
Thanks to Greg Jensen and his cephalopod expert friend for assisting with the ID!
See https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CzU8CUXxL ... TUzagOs0-0 for a video about this species by Monterey Bay Aquarium. They eat jellyfish!
This specimen was 2.5-3' in length and they get up to 12'. Somebody mentioned they think this octo got injuries from a cookie cutter shark, given the circular wounds!
Thanks to Greg Jensen and his cephalopod expert friend for assisting with the ID!