Blue-lined octopus

The blue-lined octopus (Hapalochlaena fasciata) is one of four species[2] of highly venomous blue-ringed octopuses. It can be found in Pacific Ocean waters that stretch from Australia to Japan.[2] It is most commonly found around intertidal rocky shores and coastal waters to a depth of 15 metres (49 ft) between southern Queensland and southern New South Wales. It is relatively small, with a mantle up to 45 millimetres (1.8 in) in length. In its relaxed state, it is a mottled yellow-brown with dark blue or black streaks covering the whole body apart from the underside of its arms, but its vibrant blue markings appear as a warning to predators when it feels threatened.[3] Along with its other closely related species, the blue-lined octopus is regarded as one of the most dangerous animals in the sea, and its venom can be fatal to humans.[2]

Blue-lined octopus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Cephalopoda
Order: Octopoda
Family: Octopodidae
Genus: Hapalochlaena
Species:
H. fasciata
Binomial name
Hapalochlaena fasciata
(Hoyle, 1886)
Synonyms[1]
  • Octopus fasciatus (Hoyle, 1886)
  • Octopus pictus subsp. fasciata Hoyle, 1886-01
  • Octopus pictus var. fasciata Hoyle, 1886
  • Octopus robustus Brock, 1887

Behavior

Blue-lined octopuses tend to swim around shallow areas of coral reefs and tide pools.[4] They often hide in crevices of reefs, empty seashells, and other ocean resources they can find to conceal their identity.[4] They are diurnal creatures, hunting crabs and small fish during the day.[4] They do not use their venom (known as tetrodotoxin) to kill their prey, but instead trap it inside their arms and pierce them with its parrot-like beak.[4]

Lethality

Blue-lined octopuses can be very lethal to humans. Their saliva contain a special neurotoxin called tetrodotoxin.[5] However, the species is more likely to flee and find shelter in an encounter due to their extremely shy nature.[3] Nonetheless, there have been at least three reported human deaths from the blue-lined octopus.[6] It poses most danger to those who pick up the octopus and physically touch it.[3]

If a human is bitten by the octopus, the bite may not be felt at first due to the small injection apparatus of the octopus.[3] After some time, symptoms of the injection include loss of feeling in the tongue/lips, muscle weakness/paralyzation, respiratory failure, unconsciousness, and eventually death.[3] The tetrodotoxin in blue-lined octopuses is so lethal that it has been estimated that the venom from a single 25-gram octopus can kill about ten 75-kilogram humans.[5]

Reproduction

The blue-lined octopuses start reproducing at a year old.[4] Males seek out female companions and then pounce on them. If they are successful, the female octopus will lay 50 to 100 eggs 30 days after the encounter.[4] During the 30 days, the female octopus hides her eggs under her arms and does not leave her hiding spot until the eggs hatch.[4] After laying her eggs, the female octopus dies.[4]

References
  1. "Hapalochlaena fasciata". Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  2. Kim, Kwun, Bae, Park, Hey, Hyuck, Hanna, Jinsoon (March 2018). "First reliable record of he blue-lined octopus, Hapalochlaena fasciata (Hoyle, 1886) (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae), from Jeju Island, Korea". Journal of Asia-Pacific. 11: 21–24.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. "Blue-lined Octopus". The Australian Museum. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  4. Pacific, Aquarium of the. "Greater Blue-ringed Octopus". www.aquariumofpacific.org. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  5. Townsend, Altvater, Thomas, Schuyler, Nette, Kathy, Jens, Michael, Qatar, Geoffrey (March 2012). "Death in the octopus' garden: fatal blue-lined octopus envenomations of adult green sea turtles". Marine Biology. 159 (3): 689–695. doi:10.1007/s00227-011-1846-9. PMC 3873062. PMID 24391271. S2CID 253740032 – via Gale Academic Offline.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. Allan, Brownyn (2019). "Blue Ringed octopus". Australian Institute of Marine Science. Archived from the original on 17 September 2010. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
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