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Non-fish Identification: Find Species

Family: Octopodidae octopuses (See list of species below)

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34 species in Indian Ocean, Eastern with fin ray counts including ? spines in dorsal and ? in anal fins (see list below)


Ameloctopus litoralis
[Stringarm octopus]


Amphioctopus aegina
[Sandbird octopus]


Amphioctopus exannulatus
[Plain-spot octopus]


Amphioctopus marginatus
[Veined octopus]


Amphioctopus membranaceus
[Webfoot octopus]


Amphioctopus neglectus
[Neglected ocellate octopus]


Amphioctopus polyzenia
[Arm-banded ocellate octopus]


Amphioctopus rex
[King ocellate octopus]


Amphioctopus siamensis
[Siamese ocellate octopus]
No picture found

Callistoctopus dierythraeus
[]


Callistoctopus graptus
[Scribbled octopus]
No picture found

Callistoctopus lechenaultii
[]


Callistoctopus macropus
[White-spotted octopus]


Callistoctopus ornatus
[White-striped octopus]


Cistopus indicus
[Old woman octopus]


Hapalochlaena lunulata
[Greater blue-ringed octopus]


Hapalochlaena maculosa
[Southern blue-ringed octopus]
No picture found

Hapalochlaena nierstraszi
[]
No picture found

Macrochlaena winckworthi
[Winckworth’s octopus]


Macrotritopus defilippi
[Lilliput longarm octopus]
No picture found

Octopus arborescens
[]


Octopus cyanea
[Big blue octopus]
No picture found

Octopus globosus
[Globe octopus]
No picture found

Octopus microphthalmus
[]
No picture found

Octopus prashadi
[]
No picture found

Octopus superciliosus
[Frilled pygmy octopus]
No picture found

Octopus taprobanensis
[]


Octopus tetricus
[Gloomy octopus]


Octopus vulgaris
[Common octopus]
No picture found

Pinnoctopus cordiformis
[]


Scaeurgus unicirrhus
[Unihorn octopus]
No picture found

Teretoctopus alcocki
[]


Thaumoctopus mimicus
[Mimic octopus]
No picture found

Wunderpus photogenicus
[Wunderpus]
34 Species of Family Octopodidae
(octopuses)
Sort by: Species Length
Scientific Name English Name Distribution Max. Length (cm)
Ameloctopus litoralis Stringarm octopus Indo-West Pacific 26 TL
Amphioctopus aegina Sandbird octopus Indo-West Pacific 10 ML
Amphioctopus exannulatus Plain-spot octopus Indo-West Pacific. 20 TL
Amphioctopus marginatus Veined octopus Indo-West Pacific. 30 TL
Amphioctopus membranaceus Webfoot octopus Indo-Pacific 30 TL
Amphioctopus neglectus Neglected ocellate octopus Indo-West Pacific. 24.6 TL
Amphioctopus polyzenia Arm-banded ocellate octopus Indo-Pacific 13 TL
Amphioctopus rex King ocellate octopus Indo-West Pacific. 35.8 TL
Amphioctopus siamensis Siamese ocellate octopus Indo-West Pacific.
Callistoctopus dierythraeus Indo-West Pacific 80 TL
Callistoctopus graptus Scribbled octopus Indo-West Pacific 130 TL
Callistoctopus lechenaultii Eastern Indian Ocean
Callistoctopus macropus White-spotted octopus Circumglobal in warm to t 18 ML
Callistoctopus ornatus White-striped octopus Indo-Pacific. 120 TL
Cistopus indicus Old woman octopus Indo-West Pacific 100 TL
Hapalochlaena lunulata Greater blue-ringed octopus Indo-West Pacific. 12 TL
Hapalochlaena maculosa Southern blue-ringed octopus Indo-West Pacific 22 TL
Hapalochlaena nierstraszi Indo-West Pacific.
Macrochlaena winckworthi Winckworth’s octopus Eastern Indian Ocean 3.3 ML
Macrotritopus defilippi Lilliput longarm octopus Atlantic, Indian oceans a 9 ML
Octopus arborescens Eastern Indian Ocean.
Octopus cyanea Big blue octopus Indo-Pacific 22 ML
Octopus globosus Globe octopus Indo-West Pacific 25 ML
Octopus microphthalmus Indo-West Pacific.
Octopus prashadi Eastern Indian Ocean.
Octopus superciliosus Frilled pygmy octopus Eastern Indian Ocean.
Octopus taprobanensis Eastern Indian Ocean.
Octopus tetricus Gloomy octopus Indo-West Pacific 80 TL
Octopus vulgaris Common octopus Circumglobal in temperate 180 TL
Pinnoctopus cordiformis Indo-West Pacific 200 TL
Scaeurgus unicirrhus Unihorn octopus Indo-Pacific, Atlantic an 12 ML
Teretoctopus alcocki Northern Indian Ocean
Thaumoctopus mimicus Mimic octopus Indo-West Pacific. 48 TL
Wunderpus photogenicus Wunderpus Indo-West Pacific 23 TL



Other identification tools in SeaLifeBase


Quick Identification
Identification keys
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