| Southern giant octopus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Cephalopoda |
| Order: | Octopoda |
| Family: | Enteroctopodidae |
| Genus: | Enteroctopus |
| Species: | E. magnificus |
| Binomial name | |
| Enteroctopus magnificus (Villanueva, Sanchez & Compagno, 1992) | |
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| range ofE. magnificus | |
| Synonyms | |
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Enteroctopus magnificus, also known as thesouthern giant octopus, is a largeoctopus in the genusEnteroctopus. It is native to the waters offNamibia andSouth Africa.
E. magnificus bears the distinctive characteristics of the genusEnteroctopus, including longitudinal folds on the body and large, paddle-likepapillae.E. magnificus is a large octopus, reaching total lengths of up to 1.8 metres (5 ft 11 in)[1] and a mass of 11.4 kilograms (25 lb).[2]
E. magnificus occurs fromNamibia toPort Elizabeth,South Africa. It is found primarily on sand and mud flats from shallow subtidal areas to about 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) depth.[1]
E. magnificus is predated on by the South African fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus) and the leafscale gulper shark (Centrophorus squamosus).[2]
Like many octopuses,E. magnificus is a generalist predator. The chief food source for this octopus is the deep-seaportunid crabBathynectes piperitus. Other major prey items include the Cape hagfish (Myxine capensis), the crab speciesPontophilus gracilis, andhermit crabs in the genusParapagurus.[2]
E. magnificus is only collected bytrawl and inlobster pots. Harvest of this octopus is small, mainly as afinfish trawl fisheries by-catch.[1]
