Ocythoe tuberculata

For the harpy of Greek mythology, see Ocypete.

"Football octopus" redirects here. For the oracular animal, see Paul the Octopus.

Tuberculate pelagic octopus
File:Ocythoe tuberculata3.jpg
Specimen preserved in formaldehyde
File:Ocythoe tuberculata.jpg
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Cephalopoda
Order:	Octopoda
Superfamily:	Argonautoida
Family:	Ocythoidae Gray, 1849
Genus:	Ocythoe Rafinesque, 1814
Species:	O. tuberculata
Binomial name
Ocythoe tuberculata Rafinesque, 1814

Ocythoe tuberculata, also known as the tuberculate pelagic octopus or football octopus, is a pelagic octopus. It is the only known species in the family Ocythoidae.

Ocythoe tuberculata is found in warm and temperate seas, especially in the Northern Hemisphere, such as the North Pacific Ocean off California.

Description

The females are around 1 metre (3.3 ft) long when full-grown. The males are considerably smaller at around 10 centimetres (3.9 in).

As a species, they are unique among cephalopods in possessing a true gas bladder. They are also one of the only known ovoviviparous cephalopod species. It is relatively unresearched in terms of behaviour and life cycle.

Young females and mature males have been observed residing inside salps, although little is known about this relationship.

Gallery

• Ocythoe tuberculata - from Commons.jpg

  Male with attached hectocotylus that has broken free from its sac.

• Ocythoe tuberculata viscera - from Commons.jpg

  Cut-away drawing of the viscera.

• Ocythoe tuberculata hectocotylus - from Commons.jpg

  Details of the hectocotylus.

• Ocythoe tuberculata paralarva - from Commons.jpg

  O. tuberculata paralarva.

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Lower (left) and upper beaks of female Ocythoe tuberculata in lateral view
3D red cyan glasses are recommended to view this image correctly.

External links

• Tree of Life web project: Ocythoe tuberculata