Details
Hapalochlaena maculosa
The blue-ringed octopus is a small Indo-Pacific octopus famous for brilliant blue warning rings. Usually muted in color, it flashes the rings when threatened.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It lives around southern Australia and the wider Indo-Pacific in shallow reefs, tide pools, seagrass and coral habitats. Shells and rock crevices provide shelter.
Total length is roughly 12-20 cm. The body is tan to yellowish with many blue rings that become vivid when the animal is alarmed.
Nocturnal and solitary, it hides in tight shelters by day. When disturbed, the blue rings intensify as a warning of potent venom.
Small crabs, shrimps, snails and fishes are taken. The octopus grips prey with its arms and uses a beak and venom to subdue it.
Females brood eggs in the arms and eat little during that period. Hatchlings pass through a young stage before settling into bottom life.
The bite can be dangerous to people, so the animal should never be handled. Its small size and hidden habits make tide-pool caution important.
