New Jersey Scuba Diving

Octopus vulgaris

Size: see below

Habitat: rocks and coral reefs, all depths

Notes:

The Common Octopus is the most studied of all octopus species. Its natural range extends from the Mediterranean Sea and the southern coast of England to at least Senegal in Africa, as well as the Azores, Canary Islands, and Cape Verde Islands. In the western Atlantic, it ranges from Texas and Florida to New England, although uncommon in colder northern waters. Typical habitat is rocks and coral reefs. Young are planktonic, and total lifespan is only 12-18 months.

O. vulgaris grows to 25 cm in mantle length with arms up to 1 m long. They can weigh up to 20 pounds, although they are usually much smaller. O. vulgaris is caught by bottom trawls on a huge scale off the northwestern coast of Africa. More than 20,000 tons are harvested annually.

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