[Octopus]: Good year for Octopus rubescens

[Neogonodactylus]

There seem to be a lot of juvenile Octopus rubescens on the northern California coast. Heere is one that I have had in the lab for a couple of months.



Roy

 

[Neogonodactylus]

Another shot showing a bit more color.

 

[DWhatley]

@Neogonodactylus, do O. rubescens tend to be that nondescript white most of the time? The majority of the pictures I have seen are of them foraging our of the water where they are always very red.

 

[Neogonodactylus]

The juveniles seem to display pale colors more frequently. Also, the first image above was taken as the animal was starting to jet away. Blanching when starting to escape seems to be common in many species. Here is a shot of an adult O. rubescens with more typical red coloration.

 

[Neogonodactylus]

A good view of the chromatophores surrounding the eye.