Day Octopus - Pair mating

Description:

Day Octopus or Reef Octopus are the more common Octopus to be found in the shallow waters of coral reef. Like all other Octopi, they are master of camouflage and can change their skin colors and textures to blend into the environment. This is a sighting of a pair of Octopus, caught in the act. The Male is on the right in Picture 1, and the Female is on the left. During mating, the Male extend his third right arm, using a special structure called a hectocotylus to deliver his sperm packet to the Female. The Female will then store the sperm packet to fertilize her eggs later when she finds a suitable den to hide. Laying eggs one at a time and fertilizing each as it is produced the female will lay about 200 eggs into a string which she then glues to the roof of the den. Over a three week period she will normally lay about 30,000 to 50,000 eggs! Over the next few months or so the female will groom the eggs and protect them. She also blows water across the eggs to ensure oxygen supply while the fetuses develop. When hatching arrives the female will help them out by blowing water currents across the eggs to help them break free. Once free they begin swimming towards the surface of the ocean where they will feed on small planktonic animals as well as be fed upon themselves by various predators. Like many octopi the Female Octopus will die shortly after her newborns arrive but the hope is that of her 30,000 plus young babies at least 2 will survive to continue the reproductive cycle …

Habitat:

Coral reefs in tropical waters.

Notes:

Pictures 1, 2 & 3 - Pair of Octopus, Female on the left, Male on the Right The 3 pictures shows different coloration of the Octopi Picture 4 - closer up of the Male's third tentacle received by the Female Octopus Picture 5 - Female Picture 6 - Male