See more in my recent blog “Giant Pacific Octopuses, How Do They Mate?” at this link. In Giant Pacific Octopuses, the hectocotylus arm is the third on the right. Male octopuses have a specialized arm with no suckers at the tip called the “hectocotylus arm” by which they hand off spermatophores to the female. I know this was a female because the third arm on the right does not have a “hectocotylus”. Her eyes are closed (likely due to the annoying light coming from me) but she can still detect light. The China Rockfish that was following her as she hunted. Our presence was certainly not undetected but wanted to minimize disturbance. This image provides a clue about her gender.
We’re aware too that we are limited by how much air remains in our tanks the nitrogen building in our blood and the cold creeping in through our dry suits (despite the adrenaline surge of watching her). Two humans are in awe at chancing upon her and being able to hover, navigating the space between not wanting to disturb and also wanting to amplify the wonder above the surface, hoping it somehow contributes to being better humans. Then, again camouflaged among the boulders covered with the pink of coralline algae species, and studded with Orange Cup Corals and the plumes of feeding tentacles of Orange Sea Cucumbers. Her colours change, flashing white at times. Her arms feel between the rocks to flush out prey, her mind processing all she detects from her eight limbs, her vision, and the further stimuli upon her skin.Ī China Rockfish is hovering nearby, likely often accompanying her when she is hunting to benefit from what prey emerges when touched by her arms. The Giant Plumose Anemones stand tall above her, at up to 1 metre in height. This individual lives north of Port Hardy, in Browning Pass. photos brought to the surface for you on April 4, 2021. American Malacological Bulletin 35(2): 134-144.A female Giant Pacific Octopus hunting. Body patterns of the frilled giant Pacific octopus, a new species of octopus from Prince William Sound, AK. The results suggest that further research may yield more cryptic species currently classified under the giant Pacific octopus, whose range rings the Pacific from California to Japan.
The findings aren’t a huge surprise, according to a story in Earther, which notes that “Scientists have suspected for decades that giant Pacific octopus might be an ‘umbrella name’ covering more than one species.” The newly documented frilled giant Pacific octopus. Hollenbeck’s co-author is his advisor David Scheel. The visual confirmation of the new species was completed by Nate Hollenbeck, who undertook the research as his senior thesis at at Alaska Pacific University. Photo courtesy of David Scheel The giant Pacific octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini) has only one white mark on its head. The newly documented frilled giant Pacific octopus has two distinctive white marks on its head. A formal description of the species is forthcoming. The newly distinguished species is called the frilled giant Pacific octopus for the distinctive “frill” that runs the length of its body. The study, published in American Malacological Bulletin, describes a second species of the giant Pacific octopus ( Enteroctopus dofleini) based on DNA samples and visual observations of octopuses collected in shrimp pots laid by fishermen in Alaska’s Prince William Sound.
The world’s largest octopus - the giant Pacific octopus - is actually represented by more than one species, according to new research led by an undergraduate student at Alaska Pacific University. The giant Pacific octopus can weigh up to 70 kilograms (150 pounds).The new species is called the frilled giant Pacific octopus.New research indicates there are at least two species of octopus housed under what is traditionally called the giant Pacific octopus.The world’s largest octopus - the giant Pacific octopus - is actually represented by more than one species.
0 kommentar(er)
