Riya Octopus

The Riya Octopus is an extremely rare species of octopus. It is medium sized and resides only in the oceans and reefs surrounding the continent of Elyara. The Riya Octopus can grow up to six metres across and weigh up to 40 kg. The Riya Octopus is easily identified by its coloured glowing crescent shapes across its body. This distinguishes it from the far more common, and almost identical, Uho Octopus. The only physical difference between the two is the shape of the natural patterns on their bodies. The Riya Octopus' base colour is a bright shade of pink. Besides this, the Riya Octopus can change the shade and intensity of the colour, as well as the colour itself. The octopus can choose which of its many crescents it wishes to activate and what type of pattern it wishes to display. These can be many different colours and shades at once, flashing and fading and increasing in vibrancy. While it generally only changes the shades and colours of its crescents, it is also capable of changing colour across its whole body. Like most octopus, the Riya Octopus can squirt out a dark ink, but unlike most octopus, the ink squirt has a moderate numbing effect on the creature that swims through it. The Riya Octopus is immune to its own ink. The Riya Octopus has a total of nine brains. One of these brains is located within the head of the creature, controlling the main nervous system, with the other 8 each residing one in each of the highly complex arms. The Riya Octopus also has three separate hearts that work co-dependent of each other to ensure blood is sufficiently cycled throughout the octopus' body. The blood that pumps through the body is copper based, allowing the creature to retain more oxygen in colder environments, as such this blood is a blue colour.

Additional Information

Social Structure

While the Riya Octopus is for the most part a solitary animal like all other octopus, it does display rare, periodical, and not completely understood social conventions. Once or twice in a generation, all the Riya Octopus will disappear from their usual habitats. It is not known where it is they go.

Domestication

The Riya Octopus is not a creature that can be domesticated. While they sometimes interact and cooperate with their chosen Gijy, they do so at their own behest.

Facial characteristics

The face of the Riya Octopus mainly consists of the creatures fully white eyes which sit atop and either side of their head. These eyes can be from 2 to 6 cm across. Within the white eye there is a thick rectangular pupil which can change colour as the rest of the body does, though during the day they usually leave their eyes pure white.. In many species the mouth would be expected to be located on the face, but like other octopus, the Riya Octopus has a its hardened beak on it's bottom, surrounded by it's tentacles. This beak can be retracted into the body and is the only hard part of the creatures body.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

The Riya Octopus lives on the seabed or in reefs in the oceans surrounding Elyara, where it constructs an elaborate den for itself. It is most frequently sighted by the Hiarue in the Susilotyh Archipelago. They are rarely seen except by the Hiarue, and even of those, only a select few Gijy are actually able to interact with the species. They have been known to follow settlements when they move, if one of the Gijy they interact with is also moving. Following from the waters, they make a new den in the depths close to where their selected Gijy settle. It is for this reason when migrating, many Hiarue settlements always move along the coast.

Average Intelligence

The Riya Octopus is extremely intelligent, believed by the Hiarue as more intelligent than most other life, though this is widely disbelieved by almost all but the Hiarue. The Hiarue have maintained for hundreds of years the wisdom and sacredness of these creatures, though none of the feats they claimed to witness the Riya Octopus performing could be reproduced in front of any species but the Gijy and some of the most devoted believers in Sujatene.

Scientific Name

Octis Cresriya

Lifespan

180 - 250 years

Conservation Status

The conservation of the Riya Octopus seems to only matter to the @Hiarue, who have been actively attempting to defend these creatures from those who would do them harm or rob their dens. They do, however, do an extremely good job of defending themselves.

Average Height

35 - 60 cm (Mantle)

Average Weight

20 - 50 kg

Average Length

(Mantle) - 35 - 60 cm, (Tentacles) - 1 - 3 m

Average Physique

The Riya Octopus has a often intimidating physique, with eight muscular tentacles that posses complex dexterity. These tentacles are capable of working co-dependently or independently of one another. The bottoms of these tentacles are covered in round suckers, used for grabbing things and attaching itself to things. The rest of the creature consists mainly of it's head which sits in front of its bulbous mantle. Small lumps on the Crescent Octopus' mantle allow them to pick up scent directions and sources.

Geographic Distribution