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Octopus ocellatus

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description Octopus ocellatus Overview

Octopus ocellatus, also known as the webfoot octopus, is a marine cephalopod species found in the shallow coastal waters of the northwestern Pacific Ocean. It is native to regions including Japan, China, and the Korean Peninsula, where it frequently burrows into sandy or muddy sea floors. The species is identifiable by its relatively small size and distinctive orange spots, or ocelli, located beneath its eyes. It is a highly valued seafood commodity in East Asian markets.

help Octopus ocellatus FAQ

What is the current scientific name for Octopus ocellatus?

Octopus ocellatus is an older name commonly associated with the webfoot octopus. Modern taxonomic databases generally list Amphioctopus fangsiao as the accepted name or replacement combination.

Where does the webfoot octopus live?

It occurs in coastal waters from Japan and the Korean Peninsula to China and Taiwan. It prefers sandy or muddy bottoms and is reported from shallow coastal habitat down to at least about 100 meters. [FAO cephalopod guide](https://www.fao.org/4/i3489e/i3489e.pdf)

What does Octopus ocellatus eat?

Its diet includes crustaceans, fish, mollusks, and bivalves. Laboratory studies have observed it handling the short-neck clam Ruditapes philippinarum.

How does the webfoot octopus reproduce?

Females brood relatively large eggs in protected locations such as dead bivalve shells. The species is a benthic octopus, meaning the young settle on the seafloor rather than spending a long period as drifting larvae.

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