Enteroctopus magnificus

Species of mollusc

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)

range of E. magnificus
Synonyms

* Octopus magnificus
Villanueva, Sanchez & Compagno, 1992

Enteroctopus magnificus, also known as the southern giant octopus, is a large octopus in the genus Enteroctopus. It is native to the waters off Namibia and South Africa.

## Description

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E. magnificus bears the distinctive characteristics of the genus Enteroctopus, including longitudinal folds on the body and large, paddle-like papillae. 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]

## Range and habitat

[edit]

E. magnificus occurs from Namibia to Port 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]

## Predators

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E. magnificus is predated on by the South African fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus) and the leafscale gulper shark (Centrophorus squamosus).[2]

## Diet

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Like many octopuses, E. magnificus is a generalist predator. The chief food source for this octopus is the deep-sea portunid crab Bathynectes piperitus. Other major prey items include the Cape hagfish (Myxine capensis), the crab species Pontophilus gracilis, and hermit crabs in the genus Parapagurus.[2]

## Fisheries

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E. magnificus is only collected by trawl and in lobster pots. Harvest of this octopus is small, mainly as a finfish trawl fisheries by-catch.[1]

## References

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1. ^ a b c Norman, M. (2003). Cephalopods: A World Guide. ConchBooks: Heckenhaim, Germany. pp. 213–216.
2. ^ a b c Villanueva, R. (1993). Diet and mandibular growth of Octopus magnificus (Cephalopoda). South African Journal of Marine Science 13: 121–126.

## External links

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* "CephBase: Enteroctopus magnificus". Archived from the original on 2005-08-17.

Taxon identifiers

Enteroctopus magnificus|

* Wikidata: Q2975109
* Wikispecies: Enteroctopus magnificus
* EoL: 488447
* GBIF: 6521560
* iNaturalist: 664263
* IRMNG: 11738802
* IUCN: 163183
* NCBI: 102870
* OBIS: 535784
* Open Tree of Life: 507650
* SeaLifeBase: 94156
* WoRMS: 535784

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