As you will have read in previous blogs, we have been seeing a large number of Octopodes ( the correct plural of Octopus or so I have been told!) over the last few months and one that has been a regular fixture on our sighting list as been the Blue-Ringed Octopus (Hapalochlaena sp.) . All these sightings have made us and our guests extremely happy as they are normally very rare!
The Blue Ringed Octopodes are normally solitary creatures but some of our guests were lucky enough to see a couple of them mating – see the picture to the right. The larger one is obviously enjoying it – look at the size of his rings!! Thanks to Vicky for sending us this photo.
It is amazing the amount of people who do not realise how venomous this critter is – its bite can kill humans! Don’t get too close when trying to take its picture! The blue rings become more obvious when the octopus is agitated or feeling threatened, it is its way of saying ‘Back Off’.
Keep an eye out for later blogs on some of the other Octopodes that we see here in Lembeh.