Can you identify this octopus?

Neogonodactylus

Haliphron Atlanticus
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I received this octopus last July when it had a mantle length of about 2 cm. The ML is now around 5 cm and it is still feeding and growing. The sex is male. Mucktopus tentatively identified it for me and from species descriptions I think she is right. Thought I might be interesting to see how many Tomnoers come up with the same id. A couple of hints. The animal is strictly nocturnal and is often found intertidally.

Roy
 

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It's hard to tell from the picture, but are there white spots down the arms? With only one picture and no other clues to where it's from, it's hard to tell which of the macropus complex it could be...
 
I'm with Sedna on the Macropus complex and I never was sure which one Beldar was. I was pretty sure she was not luteus but may have been identified as such by many divers (looking at dive shots of what appeared to be similar animals). It appears that the Macropus complex has a general tendency to be losing the use of the back arms and this one has the same small back arms I saw with Bel (which she barely used). Thales and I kind of agreed the closest match was likely Norman's SP 10 but your SP 11 presents possibilities if the "stars" are right :sagrin: (I think that one had more robust arms though)
 

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I did not see Bel a lot with that wonderful red, red color and have no pictures but in all the photos I do have where I see spots on the arms I don't see any on the body. The size listed is way larger than Bel achieved though so I am more inclined to SP10 for Bel. How long have you had this one to go frm 2 to 5 cm? Bel's similar growth was 5 months (then she started brooding).
 
Thales sent me Beldar because he ended up with two that appeared to be the same species (and only had room for one). Zod was male, much more interactive initially and lived beyond Bel so he should be chiming in here soon about the ultimate size of that animal.
 
Roy,
Do you think this octopus may be similar/the same? Just wondering if we are seeing more octos and more species now because of growing popularity or, as I suspect, a boom year for the critters.
 
I half remember that striped look but don't have pictures to validate the memory. This shot, however, could easily be the same physical animal (taken 3.5 months after she arrived) in your first picture. There is some striping in the picture but not the strong stripes as in your second shot. My best photos of her, unfortunately are post brood when she was out during the day but showed only a uniform pinkish color. I am guessing the first picture is not current and was taken sometime shortly after you got her?
 

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