Anilao Octopus

Here's one I haven't seen before.

... and a plain old Wonderpus

Was the first octopus taken at night, if so it's probably Octopus luteus, or commonly known as a starry night octopus! They will often go a rather deep red colour too!

Yeah, the first one is O. luteus. My nemesis. Actually my real nemesis is the version we have closer to home: Octopus macropus, which looks very similar, just bigger. I am always sticking wide angle lenses on at night trying to shoot it and never finding it. Then I night dive with a macro lens and see two. Saw O. luteus in Lembeh - but again always with the 60mm on (not the shot I was after).

Herb, I like the tentacle perspective in the first wonderpus shot. I refuse to use the ridiculous scientific name for that species! Maybe we can petition to have Mark Norman's name changed? Not the octopus, his.

Alex

Come on Alex, what's wrong with naming an octopus Wonderpus photogenicus?

I'll try the O. luteus for ya in Irian. Though I gotta say they're not too common on the sites we'll be diving up there though. Komodo through to Alor no problem!

Was the first octopus taken at night, if so it's probably Octopus luteus, or commonly known as a starry night octopus! They will often go a rather deep red colour too!

Yes. It was a night dive. It didn't like having it's picture taken and reached out for it's hole after the second shot. I got in 4 shots. Here are the other 2. The one above with it's body elongated was the third where it was pulling itself into it's hole in the sand.

Yep,

It's O. luteus!

Wow! Anilao seems to have lots of wonders! I wanna see those beautifule creatures soon!