Octopus tehuelchus

Octopus tehuelchus
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Cephalopoda
Order:	Octopoda
Family:	Octopodidae
Genus:	Octopus
Species:	O. tehuelchus
Binomial name
Octopus tehuelchus d'Orbigny, 1834[1]
Synonyms[1]
Octopus lobensis Castellanos & Menni, 1969

Octopus tehuelchus, commonly known as the Patagonian octopus,

This is a small to medium-sized octopus with a maximum length of about 20 cm (8 in).[3] The mantle is globular with a smooth surface. The head is slightly narrower than the mantle, the eyes are prominent and are surrounded by small granulations. The mantle opening is wide with a long funnel. The neck is constricted and the eight arms are two-thirds to three-quarters of the length of the rest of the animal. The second pair of arms is the shortest and the fourth pair is the longest. The hectocotylus of the male is on the right third arm, and the male also has enlarged suckers.^[4]

Distribution and habitat

Octopus tehuelchus is native to the subtropical southwestern Atlantic Ocean. Its range extends along the coasts of Brazil and Argentina between 30°S and 44°S, and between 50°W and 65°W. It occurs in the

This octopus feeds on crabs and small clams and is known to drill into gastropod shells to extract hermit crabs. The octopus is itself heavily preyed on by young sharks off the coast of Argentina.^[3]

Breeding in this species takes place between autumn and spring. As with many other octopus species, the female selects a shelter and broods a batch of eggs. An invertebrate shell is usually chosen as a shelter; small individuals usually choose gastropod shells such as