Mototi poison/blue ringed Octopus in Florida?

[japan-diver]

Blue ring octos are quite common here in Okinawa and they are very small- the biggest I have ever seen would be 1/2 the size of less compared to this one. I would not ID it as one of the 4 common named species of Hapalochlaena due to the size and coloring seen in the video. But a very cool find.

 

[Cali_diver]

According to the Reef Creature book for the tropical pacific, the Poison Ocellate Octopus, Amphioctopus siamensis can have arms up to 25cm (10 in) and the ID pics look very much the octo in the video. I think I would talk to the experts.

 

[dirtfarmer]

I was going to post this but Cali diver seems to provide a strong posibility.

Unless your hand is about 3" still to big IMHO. The ones i have seen were never more 3".than Mototi will color about like that.
But if cali diver has seen them that big I guess it's possible.

 

[CajunDiva]

This is what a blue ringed octopus looks like:

 

[Cali_diver]

The Poison Ocellate Octopus, Amphioctopus siamensis is a different species of octopus from the Blue-ringed octopus, Hapalochlaena (10cm(4in)) or the Greater Blue-ringed Octopus, Hapalochlaena lunulata (7cm(2 3/4in)).

 

[Trigger-F]

I was going to post this but Cali diver seems to provide a strong posibility.

Unless your hand is about 3" still to big IMHO. The ones i have seen were never more 3".than Mototi will color about like that.
But if cali diver has seen them that big I guess it's possible.

It was definitely not 3"(neither is my hand). More like 6-7", maybe a bit more...but as I said the camo when swimming with stripes and the blue ring under the eye points to what a Mototi octo looks like(at least in pics; I've never seen one in the IndoPacific). Unless this is a hybrid species? I will contact Reef.org.

""While the octopus was stationary and settled on a patch of algae or seagrass, it would take-on an overall darker coloration, but when it traveled over plain sand or above the bottom, it turned a lighter color with stripes.""

Octopus mototi - The Cephalopod Page

This is consistent with what is shown in the video, striped camo and dark coloration when he settles on the ledge.

 

[CajunDiva]

Thanks guys - I learned something today. That's what's so great about ScubaBoard

 

[Steve_C]

With tankers and other large ships using sea water for ballast which sometimes gets pumped out all sorts of eggs/larvae/small creatures get transported around the world.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

please contact REEF about your find.

Exotic Species Sighting Program | Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF)

 

[Darnold9999]

Just for comparison - one free swimming not upset, then the same one a bit pissed. (One to many flashes I suspect). This was Lembeh.