Blue-Ringed Octopus

Written by Pookas Kreations

This tiny octopus is one of the world’s most venomous creatures found throughout the ocean. Often hiding in small crevices and sea caves. They are brightly colored fluorescent rings that glow in the dark in the depths. Most predators leave them alone because the bright colors designate them as poisonous to any creature with any intelligence. 

This octopi is one of the most venomous creatures in the sea. Which belies its size.Despite their small size, and relatively docile nature, they are dangerous to all humanoids, if provoked their venom contains a dangerous neurotoxin. This venom can kill in minutes, by paralyzing the body (especially the lungs), the victim literally suffocates to death.

Basic Information

Anatomy

As with other octopi, they have 8 arms spaced evenly around their bodies, 2 large eyes, a bulbous head, and a small beak. They can squeeze into any crevasse that they can fit the width of their head in. They can change shape easily, which helps them to squeeze into crevices much smaller than themselves.

Genetics and Reproduction

Mating only happens within their own species. Females only mating once in their lifetime. She only lays a clutch of about 50 eggs, which she incubates inside her mantle and under ear arms. She fasts during this time to protect them, finds a cave to hide in, and dies before they hatch. This incubation period lasts one month. She is their first meal, they hide in this cave until she is devoured, sometimes even eating each other, before daring to dart outside and chance the predators to travel and find their own homes.

Growth Rate & Stages

They hatch and mature in one year, then mate and die in the next, living only two years. Newborns have a brief plankton-like development period before starting their life on the seabed, hiding under anything they can to survive.

Ecology and Habitats

They prefer to live around coral reefs, rock outcropping and other similar areas. A rare few dig tunnels in the sand instead of living in crevasses in the rocks.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Blue-ringed octopus are carnivores and often cannibals. Their preferred food is small crabs, shrimp and fish. They are opportunistic hunters

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

They are often killled for their poison.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Any salt or brackish water.

Average Intelligence

Animal: 2 Intelligence

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Supravision and blind sense.

Scientific Name

Hapalochlaena lunulata

Lifespan

2 years

Average Height

3 inches

Average Weight

2 oz.

Average Length

6 inches

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

They are one of the few that have limited camouflage capabilities, most commonly yellow, light green or grey colored with the bright blue rings. These rings change colors and flash dramatically to warn off predators.

Geographic Distribution

• Oceania

Discovered by

Coburn Robson