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488 Avierican Seashells
Pompano Beach, Florida. It is a moderately common, fairly shallow-water
species.
Octopus joubini Robson Joubin's Octopus
Southern half of Florida, and the West Indies.
Figure lood
A small species with a length, including the longest arm, of from 4 to
6, rarely 7 inches. The arms are short, with a mantle-arm index of about 40
to 50. Ligula-index about 6 to 7. Gill plates 5 or 6 usually. Skin smoothish,
except for little pimples at scattered intervals. In this species, the longest arm
is only 2 or 3 times the mantle-length, while in O. briareus the longest arm
is 5 or 6 times as long as the mantle. Eggs large, amber-colored, and about
7 to 10 mm. in length. Occasionally cast ashore in fair numbers on the west
coast of Florida. O. 77ter cat oris Adam 1937
the genus Paroctopus which is now considered of no value.
is the same. Formerly placed in
Octopus hongkongensis Hoyle Common Pacific Octopus
Alaska to Lower California. Japan to south China.
Figure loof
Length, including longest arm, ^ to 3 feet (possibly with a radial spread
of nearly 28 feet in Alaskan waters). Skin in preserved specimens covered
everywhere by numerous small, pimple-like tubercles with star-shaped bases,
and by many heavy, much interrupted, longitudinal wrinkles. Above each
eye there is a rather small, conical wart and with a very large, pinnacle-like
protuberance behind it. Ligula index 4 to 7. The web between the second
and third arms usually extends out to a quarter of the arm's length. Elsewhere
the webs are shorter. The commonest littoral Octopus on the Pacific
Coast found from shore to 100 fathoms. This is O. punctatns Gabb.
O. californicus Berry, an off-shore species, has a large lingula with an
index of 14 to 17. The skin in preserved material is covered with numerous,
large stellate warts. The Californian Deep-water Octopus.
Octopus bi?naculatus Verrill Two-spotted Octopus
Los Angeles, California, to Lower California.
Total length ^ to 2 feet. Characterized by a large, distinct, round, dark
spot in front of each eye near the base of each third arm. Eggs small, 1.8 to
4.0 mm. in length with long stalks, attached in festoons. Mantle-arm index
usually 22, but ranging from 14 to 29. Ligula-index 2.0, not significant in
separating this species from bimaculoides. Fairly common. Lives in the lower
part of the intertidal zone down to several feet where there is rock bottom.