Blue Ringed Octopus Fact Sheet

Common Name: Blue Ringed Octopus

Scientific Name: Hapalochlaena

Wild Status: Unknown

Habitat: Oceans

Country: Pacific/Indian Oceans, from Japan to Australia

Shelter: Tide Pools and Coral Reefs

Life Span: Roughly 2 years

Size: 5 - 8 inches

Details:

The Blue Ringed Octopus actually is a group of 4 octopus species, that are all very similar in nature and habitat, and all are highly venomous. They are easy to identify by their yellow colored skin covered with blue and black rings just like their name. The Blue Ringed Octopus is fairly small in size, and doesn't have a long lifespan, however they are recognized as one of the most venomous marine animals on the planet. Their diet mainly consists of small crustaceans like crabs and shrimp, as well as the occasional fish. The Blue Ringed Octopus will pounce on its prey, pulling it in with its arms, and then using its beak to penetrate the exterior and release its venom. While they may be extremely deadly creatures, the Blue Ringed Octopus prefers to avoid confrontation, and will usually hide in crevices and hard to reach areas because of its small size and flexibility. Cool Facts:

• The Blue Ringed Octopus contains enough venom to kill 26 adult humans within minutes. • The bite of a Blue Ringed Octopus is often painless, so many who are bitten do not realize it until the venom is already deep within their system. There is also no known antivenom currently available. • When they are provoked or threatened, the Blue Ringed Octopus will glow bright yellow with the rings flashing blue to signal how dangerous they are. • The venom of the Blue Ringed Octopus contains tetrodotoxin, the same toxin found in puffer fish that can paralyze whoever is affected while still keeping them awake and aware of their surroundings.

Taxonomic Breakdown:

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Mollusca Class: Cephalopoda Order: Octopoda Family: Octopodidae Genus: Hapalochlaena Type species: Hapalochlaena lunulata Species (4): H. fasciata , H. lunulata , H. maculosa , H. nierstraszi

Conservation & Helping:

The conservation status of the Blue Ringed Octopus is currently DD - Data Deficient. More research is necessary to know the full population numbers.

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