Eastern Pacific Red Octopus, Octopus rubescens
Eastern Pacific Red Octopus, Octopus rubescens. Octopus caught with hook and line from 91 m (300-foot) water off the Gordo II Bank, Baja California Sur, July 2023. Arm span: 36 cm (14 inches).
Phylogeny: The Eastern Pacific Red Octopus, Octopus rubescens, is member of the Octopodidae Family of Octopuses. The genus Octopus is one of twenty-three genera in the Octopodidae Family, and there are seventy-three species in the Octopus genus. This species is also commonly known as the Ruby Octopus, and in Mexico as Pulpo Común and Pulpo Patón.
Morphology: The Eastern Pacific Red Octopus is a medium sized octopus with a dull red to reddish-brown color, which is often mottled with white. Like other octopuses, they can change their color and texture, making their appearance highly variable. The arms are often three to four times the body length. The interior surfaces of the arms are covered with circular adhesive suckers that allow the octopus to attach itself to or manipulate objects. The body is made of soft flexible tissue that allows for facile lengthening and contraction of the animal. They possess a siphon that is utilized for respiration and locomotion that occurs by expelling a jet of water. The 8 tentacles trail behind as they swim. They have 3 hearts, 1 to circulate blood throughout the body, and 2 that pump blood through each of the two gills. The blood contains copper rich hemocyanin that transports oxygen. They have excellent eyesight, hearing and sense of touch and a complex nervous system. The Eastern Pacific Red Octopus is distinguished from other octopus species by having three flaps (“eyelashes”) under each eye. The dorsal mantle is 5.0 cm (2.0 inches) to 10.0 cm (4.0 inches) in length. Most of the adults weight between 100 grams (3.5 oz) and 150 grams (5.3 oz) but individuals that weigh 400 grams (4 oz) have been recorded.
Habitat and Distribution: The Eastern Pacific Red Octopus is usually found on hard substrates such as rocks, reefs, wreckage, or in bottles on sand or mud. During the day they generally hide under shelter and emerge at night to hunt, venturing over the reef or over soft substrates. They live in the intertidal zone, and to depths of 91 m (300 feet). Eastern Pacific Red Octopus are a tropical to temperate Eastern Pacific species. In Mexican waters they range from the northern border to Mazatlán, Sinaloa, including the entire Gulf of California.
Diet: The Eastern Pacific Red Octopus consume clams, crabs, and scallops. They have the ability to inject venom to kill prey which helps them to separate the flesh from shell. They also utilize their sharp beak to pry open shells. They normally gather and collect their food and take it “home” to consume it. Piles of shells of their prey can be found near their “home.” Their planktonic larvae stage consumes krill.
Predators: The Eastern Pacific Red Octopus are prey for sea lions, seals, dolphins, whales, seabirds, sharks, and fish. When threatened, the Eastern Pacific Red Octopus has the ability to release a reddish-brown ink, or sepia, to distract or threaten its predator. They can also burrow into sand to hide.
Reproduction: The Eastern Pacific Red Octopus mate in late winter and early spring, followed by spawning in intertidal areas. The female octopi protect and groom the larvae until they hatch at six to eight weeks. Their larvae are small, being approximately 3 to 4 millimeters across, and capsule-shaped, with cord-like stalks. The males die after mating and the females die after their larvae hatch. Although the young can swim and forage for food immediately after hatching, their mortality rate is approximately 90%.
Ecosystem Interactions: Eastern Pacific Red Octopus are known to host microscopic endo parasites including cestodes and dicyemids. Otherwise, any parasitic, commensal, or mutualistic relationships have not been documented.
Human Interactions: Eastern Pacific Red Octopus are the target of small scale commercial fisheries and are sometimes taken as bycatch in other fisheries. Overfishing could adversely impact local populations. From a conservation perspective they are consider to be of Least Concern.
Synonyms: None