Marine Life‎ > ‎California‎ > ‎Invertebrates‎ > ‎

Octopuses and Squids

Market Squid

Loligo opalescens

     
(1-4: San Carlos Beach, Monterey / 5-6: Monastery Beach, Carmel-by-the-Sea)

The squid in the second picture is dead.  Live ones zip around like the jet-propelled creatures they are, usually at night, and are very hard to photograph.

Market squid lay large egg masses on the sandy bottom:

   
(1,4: San Carlos Beach, Monterey / 2: Monterey State Beach, Monterey / 3: Whaler's Cove, Point Lobos)

Red Octopus

Octopus rubescens


         
(1-2,5,7-10: San Carlos Beach, Monterey / 3-4,6: Monterey State Beach, Monterey)

This one has caught a crab:
(1: Monterey State Beach, Monterey)

Octopus can change color rapidly.  At night, they tend to be light-colored.  When illuminated in a dive light, they change color back to red.  These two pictures are the same octopus, photographed just a few seconds apart:

 
(1-2: San Carlos Beach, Monterey)

Two-Spot Octopus

Octopus bimaculatus

       
(1: Indian Rock, Santa Catalina Island / 2-3: Goat Harbor, Santa Catalina Island / 4: Hen Rock, Santa Catalina Island / 5: Sea Landing Cove, Santa Barbara Island / 6-8: Golf Ball Drop Off, Santa Cruz Island)