Octopus bimaculatus
| California two-spot octopus' Octopus bimaculatus | |
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| Octopus bimaculatus | |
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| Species: | O. bimaculatus
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| Octopus bimaculatus Verrill, 1883
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Octopus bimaculatus, the California two-spot octopus or Verrill's two-spot octopus, is an octopus common in the subtidal and intertidal zone of Southern California. It is often confused with the related species Octopus bimaculoides, and the common name "California two-spot octopus" is often applied to both species.
Diet
O. bimaculatus is known to prey on crustaceans, snails, chitons, limpets, and bivalves.[1]
Lifespan
O. bimaculatus lives about 12–18 months. Young are planktonic for one to several months before settling on the ground.[2]
Reproduction
Most matings occur in May and June when water temperatures are rising, but they may mate throughout the year. Most females then lay their eggs between April and August.[3]
References
- ^ Ambrose, R. F. (1984). Food preferences, prey availability, and diet of Octopus bimaculatus Verrill. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 77(1–2): 29–44.
- ^ Ambrose, R. F. (1986). Effects of octopus predation on motile invertebrates in a rocky subtidal community. Marine Ecology Progress Series 30: 261–273
- ^ Ambrose, R. F. (1988). Population dynamics of Octopus bimaculatus: Influence of life history patterns, synchronous reproduction and recruitment. Malacologia 29: 23–39.
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