Octopus insularis

Octopus insularis is a species of octopus found off the coast of Brazil. [1]

Octopus insularis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Cephalopoda
Order: Octopoda
Family: Octopodidae
Genus: Octopus
Species:
O. insularis
Binomial name
Octopus insularis
Leite & Haimovici in Leite, Haimovici, Molina & Warnke, 2008

The species is described as medium in size and as a specialized generalist-opportunistic predator[2] with a diet of mainly crustaceans, bivalves, and gastropods. Recently recognized as a separate species from O. vulgaris, O. insularis has been found to be different in physiology and reproductive behavior.

Description

The octopus is described as red-brown in color, relatively medium in size, with arms that are proportionately compact.[3]

O. insularis was previously unrecognized as distinct from the species O. vulgaris, but various physiological differences have since been recorded, including relatively shorter arms, a deeper web, fewer hectocotylus suckers, a stronger beak, smaller spermatophores, and maturing at a smaller body size.[3]

Distribution

O. insularis is found off the coast of Brazil.[3] The name insularis was given, due to the species’ insular distribution, living near islands such as Fernando de Noronha, Saint Peter, and Saint Paul.[3] The octopus is known to live in shallow waters in a variety of habitats, such as rocky, muddy, or sandy sea bottoms, sandstone, coral, or flat biogenic reefs, algae patches, tide pools, and intertidal rocky beds.[4]

Ecology

Feeding

O. insularis is considered a specialized generalist-opportunistic predator[2] and preys mostly on crustaceans, bivalves, and gastropods.[4] Research has suggested that larger specimens still tend to prefer catching small crabs, which are easier to find, catch, and eat, over larger crabs and lobsters, making the octopus a "time-minimizing forager”, as opposed to a “rate-maximizing forager.”[2]

Reproduction

Spawning takes place in the winter months, and individuals grow and mature in annual cycles.[5] The gonadal development of O. insularis been described as similar to that of O. vulgaris, though differences include the former’s relatively smaller gonads, lower fecundity, year round production/release of spermatophores, and group-synchronous ovulation, which are thought to be related to the species’ shorter lifespan and less variety in local environmental conditions.[6]

References
  1. MolluscaBase eds. (2020). MolluscaBase. Octopus insularis Leite & Haimovici in Leite, Haimovici, Molina & Warnke, 2008. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=457762 on 2020-05-04
  2. Leite, Tatiana Silva; Haimovici, Manuel; Mather, Jennifer (2009-08-08). "Octopus insularis (Octopodidae), evidences of a specialized predator and a time-minimizing hunter". Marine Biology. 156 (11): 2355–2367. doi:10.1007/s00227-009-1264-4. ISSN 0025-3162.
  3. Leite, T. S.; Haimovici, M.; Molina, W.; Warnke, K. (2008-02-01). "Morphological and genetic description of Octopus insularis, a new cryptic species in the Octopus vulgaris complex (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae) from the tropical southwestern Atlantic". Journal of Molluscan Studies. 74 (1): 63–74. doi:10.1093/mollus/eym050. ISSN 0260-1230.
  4. Leite, Tatiana S.; Batista, Allan T.; Lima, Francoise D.; Barbosa, Jaciana C.; Mather, Jennifer (2016). "Geographic variability of Octopus insularis diet: from oceanic island to continental populations". Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. González-Gómez, Roberto; Meiners-Mandujano, César; Morillo-Velarde, Piedad S.; Jiménez-Badillo, Lourdes; Markaida, Unai (2020-01-01). "REPRODUCTIVE DYNAMICS AND POPULATION STRUCTURE OF OCTOPUS INSULARIS FROM THE VERACRUZ REEF SYSTEM MARINE PROTECTED AREA, MEXICO". Fisheries Research. 221: 105385. doi:10.1016/j.fishres.2019.105385. ISSN 0165-7836.
  6. Lima, F.; Leite, T.; Haimovici, M.; Lins Oliveira, J. (2014). "Gonadal development and reproductive strategies of the tropical octopus ( Octopus insularis) in northeast Brazil". Hydrobiologia. 725(1): 7–21. doi:10.1007/s10750-013-1718-z – via EBSCOhost.
  • Norman M.D., Finn J.K. & Hochberg F.G. (2014). Family Octopodidae. pp. 36-215, in P. Jereb, C.F.E. Roper, M.D. Norman & J.K. Finn eds. Cephalopods of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of cephalopod species known to date. Volume 3. Octopods and Vampire Squids. FAO Species Catalogue for Fishery Purposes
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