Zebra Octopus

[Absint Reefer]

Anyone know anything about these guys they almost look exactly like a mimic but is not. Any info is much appreciated.
Thanks,
Carson

[mucktopus]

It could be Wunderpus- another long-armed octopus from the Indo-Pacific. The article at this link is a few years old and collections have increased dramatically since then. Mimics and Wunderpus are over-exploited from the wild, extremely difficult to keep, and expensive.

http://www.thecephalopodpage.org/mimic.html

[study]

Zebra Octopus is from CA and Mexico, from what I've heard?

Small.... like the blue ring.

I have a photo.... Would like to know more myself.

[Absint Reefer]

one came in at 3'' and one came in 5'' I feel bad for them because everybody wants one, like their have been just about fist fights over these guys and no one knows anything about them

[Gonodactylus]

THere are several "striped" octopus. What are generally coming into this country right now are from Indonesia and they are frequently called "zebras". Most are "wunderpus" although occasionally the much rarer "mimic" will show up. I certainly would not recommend purchasing either. Several of us have written about this problem for years, but the message does not seem to be getting through. These are delicate, rare animals that do not generally do well in the home aquarium. At pricies up to $500 a piece for an adult, you are probably going to end up paying $10-20 a day for the priviledge of watching one die in under a month and that those prices, most collectors, importers, and retailers don't seem to be able to resist the lure of a quick buck. I saw my first mimic brought into the US in the late 70's and didn't see another until five or six years ago. Now I've seen more for sale locally in the Bay Area than I have in my entire life in the field. I think most cephalopod biologists who work in SouthEast Asia agree that wunderpus and mimic populations cannot sustain this level of collecting for very long. Please pass on the urge to purchase one. You will only be fueling the fire that will seriously impact these incredible animals.

There are several other striped octopuses that are also known occastionally as "zebras". There are at least two that occur off the Pacific coast of Mexico and Central America (although to my knowledge not California). The best known of these is Octopus chierchiae, a dwarf species with brown and tan stripes. I collected several of them in Pamana in the early 80's, but I know of only one report of anyone seeing one in the last 10 years. What makes them so unusual is that females do not die after reproducing and can lay multiple broods. We would love to try to culture these animals, so if you ever hear of one, please contact me or some other cephalopod biologist.

There are equivalent striped species in the southwest Caribbean, but almost nothing is known of them.

Roy

[donta42]

do octopus bite hands often ?

[gsrracer]

interesting

[Sun_Shining]

"What makes them so unusual is that females do not die after reproducing and can lay multiple broods. "

Would love to see your support for this. Have you kept them yourself? Did you read about it in a published article?

[Gonodactylus]

I collected several Octopus chierchiae in the late 70's and early 80's when I was working on the Pacific coast of Panama. One female that I returned to Berkeley laid 4 clutches over a five month period. A few years later Rodineche and Moynihan published a paper describing the same thing.

Roy

[GreshamH]

Originally posted by study
Zebra Octopus is from CA and Mexico, from what I've heard?

Small.... like the blue ring.

I have a photo.... Would like to know more myself.

Having imported Sea of Cortez (Baja, Mexico) for almost a decade, and working for someone whom has been collecting in Baja for nearly 3 decades, I can honestly say no zebra octo has been shipped out Baja by us or anyone we know of. Knowing the other collectors, I highly doubt they went after one as they're not really into oddballs, just bread and butter.

I've asked our divers many times if they'd seen it, and none have. I'd have to say they rather rare. Having Dr. Roy say nearly the same thing above me, denfintly makes me conclude they are in fact quite rare.


I do have to say, I've drooled over the photo for years on page 69 of Kirstitch's "Sea of Cortez Marine Invertebrates - A Guide to the Pacific Coast, Mexico to Ecuador"