Octopus | |
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Octopus vulgaris | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Cephalopoda |
Order: | Octopoda |
Family: | Octopodidae |
Subfamily: | Octopodinae |
Genus: | Octopus Cuvier, 1797 |
Type species | |
Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797 | |
Species | |
Over 100, see text. |
Octopus is the largest genus of octopuses, comprising more than 100 species. These species are widespread throughout the world's oceans. Many species formerly placed in the genus Octopus are now assigned to other genera within the family. The octopus has 8 arms, averaging 20 cm long for an adult. [1] [2]
The species listed above with an asterisk (*) are questionable and need further study to determine if they are valid species or synonyms. [8]
The Octopodidae comprise the family containing the majority of known octopus species.
Aplysia is a genus of medium-sized to extremely large sea slugs, specifically sea hares, which are a kind of marine gastropod mollusk.
Bulla is a genus of medium to large hermaphrodite sea snails, shelled marine opisthobranch gastropod molluscs. These herbivorous snails are in the suborder Cephalaspidea, headshield slugs, and the order Opisthobranchia.
Nassarius, common name nassa mud snails (USA) or dog whelks (UK), is a genus of minute to medium-sized sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Nassariidae. They are scavengers.
Euprymna is a genus of bobtail squid comprising a number of species.
Trochus is a genus of medium-sized to large, top-shaped sea snails with an operculum and a pearly inside to their shells, marine gastropod molluscs in the subfamily Trochinae of the family Trochidae, the top snails.
Abdopus is a genus of octopuses in the family Octopodidae.
The Pleurobranchidae are a taxonomic family of sea slugs, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Pleurobranchomorpha.
Natica is a genus of small to medium-sized predatory sea snails, marine gastropods in the subfamily Naticinae of the family Naticidae, the moon snails. The genus was erected by Giovanni Antonio Scopoli in 1777.
Doris is a genus of sea slugs, specifically dorid nudibranchs. These animals are marine gastropod molluscs in the family Dorididae.
Euspira is a genus of medium-sized sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the subfamily Polinicinae of the family Naticidae, the moon snails.
Bela is a genus of sea snails; marine gastropod mollusks in the family Mangeliidae.
Monodonta is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Trochidae, the top snails.
Rissoa is a genus of minute sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks or micromollusks in the family Rissoidae.
Callistoctopus is a genus of nocturnal, orange octopuses in the family Octopodidae. They are readily identifiable by their reddish coloring, the white papillae that line their bodies, and their long arms. Though sympatric with diurnal Octopus species, they avoid competition by hunting at night. In acknowledgement of this preference, many species of Callistoctopus are referred to as night octopuses. Well-known species include C. macropus and the type species C. ornatus, both of which are harvested for human consumption as seafood.
Macrotritopus is a poorly known genus of octopuses in the family Octopodidae. As it stands, Macrotritopus contains one valid described species, Macrotritopus defilippi. Two poorly described, unresolved taxa which are known only from planktonic hatchlings have been tentively assigned Macrotritopus equivocus and M. scorpio, as well as a further three undescribed Indo-Pacific species. Macrotritopus was originally described from a single juvenile specimen which was named Macrotritopus equivocus notable for having an elongated third arm. This specimen gave the name Macrotritopus larva to this form of paralarva which was misidentified as the newly hatched juveniles of Scaeurgus unicirrhus. When the eggs of M. defilippi, which were kept in captivity, hatched and the resultant larvae were observed to be of the Macrotritopus larval type then the juveniles were connected with the adults. This means that the type species of Macrotritopus is a juvenile and that M. defillipi is the only species where the adult form is known. The presence of Macrotritopus larvae” off South Africa and the Indo‑West Pacific from Australia to Hawaii indicates that there may be a number of yet to be described species within this genus.