The Mysterious Octopus: Scuba Diving with an 8-Armed Master of Disguise
If dolphins and sharks are the A-list celebrities that divers hope to spot on a dive, an octopus is the character actor who blends into the background and then breaks out to steal the show. Finding an octopus on a dive is no mean feat. The trick to increasing your chance of seeing one of these masters of disguise is to understand their behavior, know where to look—and of course, book a dive with Jupiter Dive Center!
First the Basics
An octopus is a distinctive creature that is easily recognizable by its eight arms and squishy, bag-like body. Suckers extend the length of each arm (which is why it’s considered an arm and not a tentacle) and are multifunctional.
Together, they allow an octopus to sense its surroundings, capture and hold prey, walk across the strata, or quickly propel itself out of danger.
They also have three hearts, blue blood, rectangular pupils, and can squirt a cloud of ink as they jet away as a way to confuse predators. Then there’s their ability to instantaneously change the color of their skin to match their environment, with some being able to change the texture as well, a characteristic that helps them hide themselves from predators and divers alike.
The three most common species of octopus along our coast include the Caribbean reef octopus, the Atlantic longarm octopus, and the common octopus, which is the one most often seen by divers out in the open on a reef during the day. With the ability to change colors, identification by species can be difficult.
The Caribbean reef octopus has a dark ring around its eye with no rings around its suckers, and its legs are 4-6 times its body length. Color-wise, it’s often a mottled brown or dark red; however, it can turn an iridescent blue-green.
In contrast, the suckers of the common octopus have dark edges and no dark ring around their eyes. Its color is highly variable, and its arms are 3-4 times its body length. The Atlantic longarm octopus has very long arms and is usually brown to blueish gray and often displays white spots.
Habitat and Diet
An octopus is primarily a ground dweller, and diving at Blue Heron Bridge in Phil Foster Park is an excellent place for divers to scout out these elusive creatures.
Not only is there a healthy population of the common octopus, but also the Atlantic longarm, which is why Dr. Chelsea Bennice, of Florida Atlantic University, decided it was the perfect spot to study how the two species coexist. Turns out, despite being neighbors, the two species aren’t that neighborly.
The smaller Atlantic longarm octopus preferred a sandy home, often hunkering down in a den with an opening roughly the size of a quarter. Meanwhile, the larger common octopus favored a rockier microhabitat, often creating its den in a rubble pile or a depression under a rock.
The difference between the two species extended beyond their homes. The Atlantic longarm targeted crabs and predominantly hunted during the day (1 p.m. was statistically the most active time).
In contrast, the common octopus fed at night (primetime being 10 p.m.) prefers shelled mollusks, often drilling through the shell and injecting envenomated saliva to open the shell. The leftover shells were then drawn close around the opening of its den, a habit not shared with the Atlantic longarm.
Another thing became obvious as the multi-year study progressed. The population of both species ebbed and flowed with the seasons, with spring and summer being the most populous. (Which makes now a great time to grab one of our guides and explore Blue Heron Bridge!).
The Great Octopuses / Octopi Debate
Most divers would agree that seeing an octopus is exciting. The argument begins with how to describe the experience. One octopus is easy. But now imagine you just saw two! At the end of the dive, you share that you saw:
A Two octopuses
B Two octopi
C Two octopodes
D Nothing. Something this special is your little secret.
Without getting too far into the flotsam, if you said A or C, you are correct. If you answered B, well, you’re not wrong.
The word “octopus” comes from Greek words “okto” (eight) and “pous” (foot). Of all the choices, the Greek plural, octopodes, is the technical winner. It also happens to be the least used. English adds “es” to most of its plural nouns, and Team Octopuses includes most of the scientific community. If octopus had been a Latin word, the plural would be octopi, but it’s not. That said, language is funny. Use a word often enough, and it becomes acceptable, even though some grammarians may come after you with a pole spear for using it. If you chose D, your buddy is never going to dive with you again.
Since we're wordsmithing. If you really want to impress someone, casually drop that you spied a consortium of octopuses. But beware, someone might just counter that the collective noun for a group of octopi is a tangle. Both are correct, but alas, most octopus species prefer their own company and rarely congregate.
Octopuses are Intelligent
Here’s another question for you. We all know octopuses are smart, but which of the following statements is true?
A An octopus in captivity can recognize individual handlers
B An octopus can navigate mazes, open jars, and escape enclosures
C An octopus can use tools
D All of the above
Not to put too fine a point on it, but octopuses are wicked smart, and D is the correct answer. Not only are octopuses capable of problem-solving, but they’ve demonstrated that they can learn tasks, remember past experiences and people, and use tools (one example being the Indo-Pacific coconut octopus that carries around a coconut shell to use as a portable shelter and to fend off predators).
Improve Your Odds
Finding an octopus takes a bit of luck and a keen eye. On a reef or wreck, look for small hiding spots. If there’s an eel or crab in it, move on. Octopuses like solitary dens. In the daytime, the common octopus is sometimes seen foraging. The Caribbean reef octopus lives on reefs and only comes out at night.
An octopus moves very fluidly, and when they stop, they often adopt the colors of the reef, meaning it’s often the actual movement that will catch your attention.
Remaining still is your best bet. If they don’t initially spook, they may become curious about you, but only as long as they don’t perceive you as a threat.
At Blue Heron Bridge, look for shells close to an overhang or by a rubble pile for the common octopus, and small holes in the sand for the Atlantic longarm. When swimming, the longarm often skims the sand with all its legs close together, resembling a small ray. Double your odds and dive at night! We’re leading a Blue Heron Bridge Guided night dive on August 15th!
Whether you choose a reef, wreck, night dive, or Blue Heron Beach guided tour, there is always a chance of spying an octopus. Now that you know what to look for, your chances just got better! So grab your gear and book your dive with Jupiter Dive Center or call 561-745-7807 today. Your adventure awaits!
Looking for a little bit more?
Octopuses have frequently captured the imagination of filmmakers and novelists—like this blog writer. And if you’re looking for more ways to interact with octopuses, consider:
- Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery, a finalist for the National Book Award for Nonfiction
- My Octopus Teacher an Oscar-winning documentary
- Remarkably Bright Creatures, a novel by Shelby Van Pelt
- James Camerons’ Secrets of the Octopus, a National Geographic series
- Dr. Bennice’s study presentation on YouTube Octopuses: From Behavior to Bacteria.
- The Mer Cavallo Mysteries Adrift and Beached by Micki Browning (that’s me!)—and as a bonus, Jupiter Dive Center carries signed paperback editions of Beached!
About the author:
M.E. Browning writes the Colorado Book Award-winning Jo Wyatt Mysteries and the Agatha-nominated and award-winning Mer Cavallo Mysteries (as Micki Browning). Her short stories and nonfiction have appeared in anthologies, textbooks, diving and mystery magazines.
A professional divemaster, she resides in Florida with her partner in crime and a vast array of scuba equipment she uses for “research.” Visit mebrowning.com to learn more!
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