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Wunderpus photogenicus n. gen. and sp., a new octopus from the shallow waters of the Indo-Malayan Archipelago (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae)

F. G. HOCHBERG¹, MARK D. NORMAN² AND JULIAN FINN^{2, 3
1}Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol Road, Santa Barbara, California 93105-2936 USA
Corresponding author fghochberg@sbnature2.org
²Sciences, Museum Victoria, GPO Box 666E, Melbourne, VIC 3001, AUSTRALIA
EMAIL mnorman@museum.vic.gov.au
³School of Biological Sciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, AUSTRALIA
EMAIL jfinn@museum.vic.gov.au

Abstract

Wunderpus photogenicus n. gen. and n. sp. is a spectacular long-armed species that occurs on soft sediment habitats in shallow waters (typically less than 20 m deep) in Indo-Malayan waters. It is characterized by small eyes on elongate stalks, a long, conical papilla over each eye and a dramatic and fixed color pattern of white bars and spots over a brown-red background. The distribution of the species is centered in the Indo-Malayan Archipelago and extends from Vanuatu to Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Malaysia, north to the Philippines. Animals typically emerge at dusk and dawn to forage in the twilight, primarily catching small crustaceans and fishes by flaring the arms and webs over patches of sand or coral rubble to trap enclosed (and typically buried) prey. The species also extends its arms into holes to probe for potential prey. The distinctive color pattern of this species is most pronounced when the octopus is disturbed or threatened by real or perceived attackers. It appears to be a warning display and may represent one of two scenarios: either 1) it warns that the octopus is directly toxic or venomous by nature or; 2) it represents impersonations of toxic or venomous creatures with similar color patterns which co-occur in the same habitat. The new genus and species is compared with, and distinguished from, other long-armed octopuses.

Key words: Wunderpus, octopus, Octopodidae, Cephalopoda, Indo-Malayan Archipelago, taxonomy

Full article (PDF; 810 KB)