Covered in bright blue rings, it is no surprise where gets its name. Although they only grow up to around 8 inches long, these small octopuses are the deadliest of all cephalopods! They attempt to ward off predators and other threats by flashing their iconic rings and if still not left alone the southern blue-ringed octopus delivers its mortal bite! They boast a powerful venom called tetrodotoxin that is produced by a bacterium they host which synthesizes the neurotoxin. But these octopuses aren’t aggressive and only bite when agitated, preferring to be left alone to hunt small prey like crabs and patrol their tide pools.
Unfortunately, these awesome octopuses are vulnerable to habitat loss as climate change drives warming oceans, which leads to coral bleaching and other detrimental effects.
When you make a symbolic adoption, your donation supports Oceana’s campaigns to combat the climate crisis and preserve essential habitat for reef dwellers like the southern blue-ringed octopus.
Adoption includes:
- Personalized adoption certificate