Sanibel Sea School Blog
Meeting a Pygmy Octopus for the First Time
By Austin Wise, Marine Science Educator
When we think of creatures often found in the shallow waters of the beaches of Sanibel, octopuses do not typically come to mind. Nevertheless, these beautiful and intelligent animals do make appearances from time to time, much to the delight of avid shellers and water waders alike.
In particular, while still quite rare, one species appears more often than others: the pygmy octopus (Octopus joubini).
Recently, on a windy day at low tide, I was walking the Gulfside beaches with a family, actively searching for any and all creatures. Suddenly, the group noticed something moving in a string of snail egg casings. Much to my surprise, it was a pygmy octopus!
I think everyone could tell how excited I was, and that was contagious. We were all giddy to get to be that close to a creature that you don’t see every day. In fact, it was the first time I’ve ever seen one in the wild. I picked it up and safely returned it to the water. I couldn’t stop talking about it for the rest of the day!
Octopuses are mollusks, related to squid, clams, oysters, and snails. Unlike many of these relatives, octopuses have evolved to live without a shell. Instead, they are equipped with a sac-like structure, known as the mantle, that is responsible for housing many of the creature’s important internal organs, including their three hearts, gills, ink sac, and reproductive organs.
Octopuses are also equipped with two eyes, eight arms covered in suction cups that assist with movement and feeding, and a beak used to tear apart their prey.
The pygmy octopus is a very small species, growing to only about 6 inches in length. While most often found in the shallows of the Caribbean Sea, it is still possible to stumble upon them in the Gulf. Because this species is so small, it is common for them to seek refuge inside shells such as the Atlantic giant cockle clam, where they can be protected from predators.
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