Hubbs’ Octopus, Octopus hubbsorum

Hubbs’ Octopus, Octopus hubbsorum. Octopus caught from coastal waters off La Playita, Baja California Sur, September 2012.

Phylogeny: Hubbs’ Octopus, Octopus hubbsorum (S.S.Berry, 1953), is a member of the Octopodidae Family of Octopus. The genus Octopus is one of twenty-three genera in this family; and there are seventy-three species in this genus. This species is also known as the the Green Octopus and in Mexico as pulpo de Hubbs and pulpo verde.

Morphology:  Hubbs’ Octopuses have a spherical, or globular, mantle. The arms are relatively short, and tapering. The arms have numerous suction cups that grow smaller distal to the mantle. These octopuses vary in color, including light brown,  dark brown, greenish, and reddish and are heavily marked with lighter blotches. This species lacks the ocelli found on some other octopus species in the region. The mantle length of Hubbs’ Octopuses average around 22 cm (8.7 inches). Total length is approximately 50 cm (19 inches).

Habitat and Distribution:  Hubbs’ Octopuses can be found in a variety of habitats- boulders, rocky or coral reefs, and sand or mud. They live intertidally and to a maximum depth of 155 m (508 feet), though they are generally found in the top 10 m (33 feet). In Mexican waters, Hubb’s Octopuses have a limited distribution. They are endemic to the Gulf of California and are found in the central and southern regions of the Gulf.

Diet: Hubbs’ Octopuses are predatory carnivores consuming bivalves, crabs, echinoderms, small fishes, gastropods, other octopus species, polychaetes, and shrimp.

Predators:  Hubbs’ Octopuses are preyed upon by eels, larger fishes, sea lions, sharks and shore birds.

Reproduction:  Hubbs’ Octopuses are gonochoric (male or female for life). Reproduction is sexual, with internal fertilization. During copulation, the male grasps the female and inserts the hectocotylus (A specialized arm that delivers a sperm packet) into the female’s mantle cavity where fertilization occurs. The female lays her eggs in a protected area and tends the eggs until they hatch. The eggs hatch into a  planktonic stage. Hubbs’ Octopuses are unusual in that many males have two hectocotylus, which is not usually seen in other octopus species.

Ecosystem Interactions:    The engagement of Hubbs’ Octopuses in any types of commensal, or symbiotic relationships have not been documented. Many octopus species host internal parasites within their organs, and this species may also.

Human Interactions:  Hubbs’ Octopuses are targeted by commercial and artisanal fisheries on both sides of the Gulf of California. They are an important food source and economic resource in the region. Because overfishing of this species is a distinct possibility, the fishermen within the Bahia de Los Angeles Biosphere Reserve have voluntarily enacted a closed season for this species. They believe that this will protect the species, and their livelihoods. From a conservation perspective Hubbs’ Octopus is currently considered to be of Least Concern.