Kingdom Animalia Class Cephalopoda Family Octopodidae Scientific name Octopus bimaculatus | Phylum Mollusca Order Octopoda Subfamily Octopodinae Rank Species | |
 | ||
Similar East Pacific red octopus, Octopodidae, Atlantic pygmy octopus, Caribbean reef octopus, Octopus tehuelchus | ||
Octopus bimaculatus, the California two-spot octopus or Verrill's two-spot octopus, is an octopus common in the subtidal and intertidal zone of Southern California. It is often confused with the related species Octopus bimaculoides, and the common name "California two-spot octopus" is often applied to both species.
Contents
Diet
O. bimaculatus is known to prey on crustaceans, snails, chitons, limpets, and bivalves.
Lifespan
O. bimaculatus lives about 12–18 months. Young are planktonic for one to several months before settling on the ground.
Reproduction
Most matings occur in May and June when water temperatures are rising, but they may mate throughout the year. Most females then lay their eggs between April and August.
References
Octopus bimaculatus Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA