FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes Western

826 Cephalopods
Octopus polyzenia Gray, 1849
En - Arm-band ocellate octopus.
Small octopus (maximum mantle length 40 mm) with short to moderate
arms (2 to 3 times mantle length). 80 to 140 suckers on normal arms of
adults, 45 to 55 on hectocotylized arm of male. Gills with 6 or 7 lamellae
per demibranch. In mature males, 1 to 3 enlarged suckers (12 th to 14 th )
on all arms. Eggs large relative to mantle length, to 7.5 mm.Skin covered
in low small papillae. Colour: mottled cream to dark brown; ocellus with
small iridescent blue ring; transverse dark bars widely spaced on
arms, one every 3 to 5 sucker pairs. Shallow coastal waters on rubble,
sand or mud to depths of at least 20 m. No fisheries value but may be
harvested with other northern Australian ocellate octopuses. Coastal
waters of northern Australia.
ocellus
dorsal view
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