Octopus ID request.

smeans

Pygmy Octopus
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Joined
Aug 21, 2011
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11
After our abdopus passed away last November (senescence, at least I'm 90% sure) we have another octopus in the family. The LFS said it was a zebra, but I'd love to know what it really is. I'm working on getting better pics (while the lights in the tank are on), but here's the best one I have for now:



Any info. appreciated. Thanks!
 

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First impression with a not so great camera photo :wink: is something in the Abdopus family. But that is based on general look and what we commonly see. If you can find out what body of water or at least the country of origination, it goes a long way to help determine the species. If the animal is not Indonesian and quite small and delicate, it may be one new to the aquarium world that seems to be appearing quite suddenly from the Caribbean (tentatively thought to be Octopus defilippi - Atlantic Longarm Octopus, considered a rare find but new dive photos and new animals suggest a good year for them if the ID is correct).

Definitely not Wunderpus photogenicus or Octopus chierchiae , the two most often referenced as Zebra's. Zebra is not a species and not a clear common name. Other names we see that have no species meaning are brown, Bali (usually mean an Indonesian octopus, often from Abdopus complex but we have even seen Caribbeans labeled this way) and dwarf. Iding an octopus is difficult and most collectors have no clue what they have collected. They are sold to wholesalers who have no clue but give them a name that they think will help them sell the inventory. The fish store gets it with this name but 99% cannot even identify the most common octopuses where they can identify most fish.

Jointly, TONMO members can often come up with enough observational characteristics (with multiple clear photos) to be 75% sure of the species or at least the complex (100% on a few species, depending upon age and photo quality :biggrin2:). Lately we have been seeing more variety which is challenging but fun. Multiple pictures are always needed though as even some of the more easily identified species can resemble several others at any given time. The game is ON, keep posting photos :biggrin2:
 
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The last picture is suggestive of one of the abdopus complex animals and I think discounts the Caribbean animal. It shows the typical eye star (there are others, including hummelincki that show this but this is definitely not O. hummelincki), the arms are proportionately correct with the mantle and arm stripes are commonly displayed (many octos can show arm stripes :roll:). I am going to guess A. aculeatus.
 
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