Full Circle Digital Magazine March | April 2014 | Page 10

MARINE • OCTOPUS

south of the surface

Octopus
Photographs Dr Geoff Spiby (geoffspiby.co.za)

M

ost octopus, including the common Cape
octopus, are very hard to spot. Colour
and skin texture alter to blend in with their
surroundings. They are ambush predators, but also
use their camouflage to hide from other predators
such as fish or sharks.

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Text by Georgina Jones

Not the wonderpus, found around Indonesia and
Papua New Guinea. It is gaudily striped, probably
because it is poisonous. The eyes peer from horned
stalks. It hunts on sandflats at dusk and dawn,
using its arms to inspect holes in the sand and the
extensible webs between its arms to make H