Blue-Ringed Octopus
Animal Guide: Blue-Ringed Octopus
Nature, PBS.org
The blue-ringed octopus is commonly found in shallow, sandy areas surrounding the coastal reefs of Australia and the western Indio-Pacific. It is most active after dark, and spends most of its day hidden in its nest. Like all octopods, the blue-ringed octopus has no skeleton and is thus very flexible and maneuverable. It can squeeze into tiny crevices and make dens in bottles, aluminum cans, or mollusk shells. The blue-ringed octopus is also known to burrow into sand or gravel to conceal itself.
The blue-ringed octopus feeds primarily on crabs and mollusks, ambushing from behind and enveloping prey with its eight arms. Using its bird-like beak, the octopus bites a hole through its victim’s shell to inject toxic saliva. With its arms and beak, the creature tears soft pieces from the prey, sucking the rest of the meat from the shell once it becomes partially digested by the saliva.
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