Octopus

Scientific Name:
Octopus vulgaris

Vernacular Names:
Es/Sp: Pulpo
Fr/Fr: Poulpe, Pieuvre
In/En: Octopus, Common octopus

Local Names:
Mediterranean: Pulpo
East Atlantic: Common octopus
Caribbean: Octopus
Japan: Tako
Korea: Nakji

Commercial Names: Octopus, Common octopus, Pulpo

Simile of International Trade: Widely traded globally as a valued seafood delicacy, especially in Mediterranean, Asian, and Latin American markets.

Fishing Season: Available year-round, with regional variations depending on spawning and fishing regulations.

Geographical Distribution: Cosmopolitan distribution across oceans worldwide, inhabiting various marine environments—from coral reefs and seabeds to pelagic waters and even abyssal depths. The common octopus (O. vulgaris) occurs from the Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic coasts to parts of the Western Atlantic.

Habitat and Biology: Soft-bodied, eight-limbed molluscs characterized by a bilaterally symmetrical body, two large eyes, and a beaked mouth located centrally among their eight arms.

Reproduction: Males use a specialized arm (hectocotylus) to transfer spermatophores into the female's mantle cavity.

Length and Size: Varies by species; the smallest species can be as small as 5 cm, while larger species like O. vulgaris can reach arm spans of up to 1 meter or more.