Description: This one is a Muusoctopus (the new name for Benthoctopus). It is not Muusoctopus januarii and certainly not Pteroctopus tetracirrhus. It might be a Muusoctopus johnsonianus but they are usually paler that this with more distinct reverse countershading. I suspect that there are undescribed species in the Gulf of Mexico and this may be one.
Octopus with 2 rows of suckers on each arm and 8 arms. This narrows it down a bit. It is a female as no reproductive arm (hectocotylus) is visible on the third right arm. An old reference on the recorded deep-water octopus from the GoM (Voss, 1956) seems out of date compared to modern knowledge. Item Type: Image Title: Octopus (Muusoctopus johnsonianus? or new species) from Gulf of Mexico Species: Muusoctopus johnsonianus Site: Atlantic -- Gulf of Mexico -- Gulf of Mexico Site Description: Seafloor Depth (m): 1816 Latitude: 27 deg 20' 00" N Longitude: 88 deg 12' 00" W Countries: USA -- USA: Gulf of Mexico Rig: MV Geoholm ROV: Triton XLS 11 Deposited By: Dr Daniel Jones Deposited On: 06 August 2013
Description: Commonly observed in the deep
sea, for instance in the Faroe-
Shetland Channel. Cirrotheuthis
swim by flapping their lateral fins
hence their common name ‘Dumbo
Octopus’.
From our observations it seems
likely they feed on small benthic organisms. Item Type: Image Title: Cirroteuthis sp., Dumbo Octopus Copyright: SERPENT project Species: Cirroteuthis sp. Behaviour: Swimming Site: Atlantic -- Norwegian -- Dalsnuten Site Description: Seafloor Depth (m): 1452 Latitude: 66 deg 34' 33" N Longitude: 3 deg 32' 46" E Countries: Norway -- Norwegian Sector Habitat: Benthic Rig: Aker Barents Project Partners: Shell, Aker Drilling, Oceaneering ROV: Magnum 142 Deposited By: Miss Moira MacLean Deposited On: 23 February 2011
Description: This one is a Muusoctopus (the new name for Benthoctopus). It is not Muusoctopus januarii and certainly not Pteroctopus tetracirrhus. It might be a Muusoctopus johnsonianus but they are usually paler that this with more distinct reverse countershading. I suspect that there are undescribed species in the Gulf of Mexico and this may be one.
Octopus with 2 rows of suckers on each arm and 8 arms. This narrows it down a bit. It is a female as no reproductive arm (hectocotylus) is visible on the third right arm. An old reference on the recorded deep-water octopus from the GoM (Voss, 1956) seems out of date compared to modern knowledge. Item Type: Image Title: Octopus (Muusoctopus johnsonianus? or new species) from Gulf of Mexico Species: Muusoctopus johnsonianus Site: Atlantic -- Gulf of Mexico -- Gulf of Mexico Site Description: Seafloor Depth (m): 1816 Latitude: 27 deg 20' 00" N Longitude: 88 deg 12' 00" W Countries: USA -- USA: Gulf of Mexico Rig: MV Geoholm ROV: Triton XLS 11 Deposited By: Dr Daniel Jones Deposited On: 06 August 2013
