Winter is coming… well, it’s here really. January is a time of change and rebirth for many species in the seasonal seas of the Pacific Northwest. Perhaps this is true for none more so than the Giant Pacific Octopus, Enteroctopus dofleini. As the largest known octopus species in the world, these graceful giants are prominent inhabitants of Seattle’s underwater environment and serve as a captivating icon of local marine ecosystems for many Seattleites.
Despite their considerable size, Giant Pacific Octopus are thought to live only 3 years on average. And they’re semelparous… meaning they reproduce only once before they die. In their final year of life, the male presents a spermatophore to the female using a special tentacle called a hectocotylus. She carries the spermatophore around delicately for some time. Then, as winter descends, she establishes her clutch of fertilized eggs in the safety of her den. For months, she works tirelessly to keep them clean and protect them from predators. She doesn’t eat or leave their side. They remain her focus for the remainder of her life. With luck, she’ll survive to see the eggs hatch and her offspring swim off into the great blue world that awaits.
In the video below, you’ll see fertilized octopus eggs in a den we found last year under a fiberglass boat that was resting on the seafloor at a depth of about 50ft (in south Seattle). My video skills are admittedly horrific. Though the mother’s body isn’t visible in its entirety, you’ll see her flush the eggs with the end of her tentacle repeatedly (if you look very closely).
However, for a very sweet and far better visual exploration of an octomom’s final days, see the beautiful video by Drew Collins (below):