octopus Pareledone sp.

The species of the octopus Pareledone fall into two categories: those with smooth skin (P. turqueti, P. harrissoni and P. antarctica) and those with papillated skin (P. charcoti, P. aurorae, P. prydzensis and P. framensis) [4,6,10].

Another Antarctic octopus genus Adelieledone is separated from the genus Pareledone by various features including its hectocotylus, lower beak, salivary glands, the absence of stylets and by skin sculpture, especially by the presence of two longitudinal integumentary ridges on the posterior dorsal mantle, which are not seen in these photos [10].


Here the Pareledone octopus is moving over the Antarctic scallop Adamussium colbecki.

Pareledone octopus species are considered an important part of the Antarctic benthic food web and are important top predators along with fish [1,3].


Cephalopod diets are not well known but are similar and varied including benthic molluscs, crustaceans and fish as well as polychaetes, chaetognaths and siphonophores taken by some species [5]. Prey for a Pareledone octopus includes amphipods, polychaetes, fish, ophiuroids (brittle stars), the giant Antarctic isopod Glyptonotus antarcticus, and the sea urchin Sterechinus neumayeri [2,10].



Predators of Antarctic octopus including Pareledone species include the Weddell seal, southern elephant seals, blue-eyed shags, and the black-browed albatross [1,3,7,8,9,10].

1: Antarctic Science 6(2):205-214, 1994; 2: Polar Biology 13(5):347-354, 1993; 3: Malacologia 29(1):89-100, 1988; 4: Marine Biology 140:129-135, 2002; 5: Antarctic Science 6(2):163-169, 1994; 6: Memoirs of the Museum of Victoria 54:221-242, 1994; 7: Polar Biology 18(6):371- 375, 1997; 8: Polar Biology 13:373-376, 1993; 9: Polar Biology 24:832-838, 200110: Antarctic Science 15(4):415-424, 2003

Text ©Peter Brueggeman. Photographs ©Steve Alexander, Henry Kaiser, & Norbert Wu. Photographs may not be used in any form without the express written permission of Steve Alexander, Henry Kaiser, & Norbert Wu. Norbert Wu no longer grants permission for uncompensated use of his photos under any circumstances whatsoever; want more info?