Identification References

[DWhatley]

This thread will try to collect articles and references to help identify the different species of octopus

neurobadger came up with the first one posted on the Smithsonian website:
Key to decapodiform Cephalopod families (http://invertebrates.si.edu/cephs/cephkey.html)

Cheerioteuthis PDF from the Smithsonian library:
The Systematics and Areal Distribution of Pelagic Cephalopods from the Seas Off Southern California by RE Young (1972). (http://si-pddr.si.edu/dspace/bitstre...097-Hi_res.pdf )

[mucktopus]

Wow- very cool! Thanks for posting!

[Level_Head]

It's almost tougher with octopuses, isn't it?

[DWhatley]

neurobadger has mentioned that her summer work suggests squid are easier but I am not sure Kat would agree once you get past the common ones. One observation I have made is that a dead octopus in formalin looks like an octopus. When I have a request for a preserved one, I sometime have difficulty with which ones I have if there are several available (fortunately this has only happened a couple of times, usually I don't have a collection). Species descriptions from dead animals don't help a lot with IDing live ones.

[neurobadger]

A dead octopus looks like An Octopus, whereas a dead Enoploteuthis obliqua looks like a dead Enoploteuthis obliqua .

[Cheerioteuthis]

Here's another good one!

The Systematics and Areal Distribution of Pelagic Cephalopods from the Seas Off Southern California by RE Young (1972).
http://si-pddr.si.edu/dspace/bitstream/10088/5117/1/SCtZ-0097-Hi_res.pdf

[DWhatley]

Thanks and welcome Cheerioteuthis. As entries are made, I will add them to the first post to keep them visible.