This movie was obtained last week at the N coast of Terceira Island (Azores) by regreational divers. Helás the specimen was not collected. After almost 30 years of research and thousands of dives in these islands, I've never seen this.
Could anyone be so kind as to help identify this?
Many thanks and best regards,
JP
If you can not download the above movie please follow this link (available until 25 May).
Many thanks,
JP
https://www.wetransfer.com/downloads/574c1a8a2e38b9f59d515e051a0a907220140518144829/3b530a6928413f92397cbe62b5fe7b1520140518144829/7ed1d1
Hi Joao
Yes, this is a cephalopod. The confusing part is it looks like it's holding onto a jelly of some sort with its arms, but that actually helps with ID. The cephalopod looks like a pelagic octopod, likely a member of the Argonautoidea, my guess would be a Tremoctopus or Argonauta. Individuals of these genera have been documented holding onto jellies, presumably for protection.
A great reference for cephalopods is TolWeb.org
See the Behaviour section of http://tolweb.org/Tremoctopus
and Habitat section of http://tolweb.org/Argonautidae/20204
for more on this behaviour. And you can follow up the references they give there if you want even more info.
And great video! Thanks for posting this.
Hi Jesse. Many thanks for your reply. I've seen several times Argonauta argo in the Azores (always females with shels) and a few Tremoctopus but never like this.
Many thanks indeed.
Bes regards,
JP
P.S.: If you think it is a good documentation and usable for a short note just let me know and consider yourself invited for that purpose.
Yes, this is a cephalopod. It is an pelagic octopod , likely a member of Alloposidae.
Sincerely
Franz
Dear Frank. Many thanks for your input. I am working already on this for a future note.
Sincerely,
JP
Oi Teodoro
Já estamos escrevendo o paper sobre esta associação.
Forte abraço e obrigado,
JP
Dear all. This question is now solved and under the process of paper publication.
Many thanks for all your contributions and oppinions.
Best regards,
JP
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Geoscience
- Atmospheric Sciences
- Climate Science
- Climate Change