Southern Blue-Ringed Octopus

Hapalochlaena maculosa

Southern Blue-Ringed Octopus

Small enough to sit in a palm, the southern blue ringed octopus carries tetrodotoxin powerful enough to kill a person, so it is best admired and never handled. It hunts crustaceans and small fish at night across shallow reef, seagrass and rubble.

Taxonomy: Animalia › Mollusca › Cephalopoda › Octopoda › Octopodidae › Hapalochlaena

Species data via the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS), AphiaID 342334.

FAQ

How deep does the Southern Blue-Ringed Octopus live?
The Southern Blue-Ringed Octopus (Hapalochlaena maculosa) is typically found at 0–50 m.
How big does the Southern Blue-Ringed Octopus get?
The Southern Blue-Ringed Octopus grows to about 22 cm.