Habitat
Found All Over the World
Octopuses live in every ocean, and different species have adapted to various marine habitats. Common octopuses inhabit shallow tide pools, while the Hawaiian day octopus (Octopus cyanea) thrives on coral reefs. Other species adapt to extreme depths, like the Vulcanoctopus hydrothermalis, which lives near hydrothermal vents at 2,000 meters.
Image source: Wikipedia
The common octopus (*Octopus vulgaris*) is found worldwide in tropical and temperate waters, including the Mediterranean Sea, Japan, and the Eastern Atlantic.
They tend to find a new location every 10 to 14 days. Some of them even live in
bottles or other rubbish that has found its way to the bottom of the floor in the
ocean. They are very opportunistic when it comes to finding a place for them to
call home for a period of time.
They are able to live in different temperatures of water. What is very
interesting is that the species living in warmer bodies of water are much smaller
than those that reside where it is colder. The fact that they can be so adaptable
to different areas of the water is one of the reasons that the various species have
been able to survive for millions of years.
It is a common belief that all octopuses live at the bottom of the ocean. While the majority of the species do, some of them also live very close to the surface. With most species, the young offspring do live at the surface of the water when they first emerge from their shells. This makes them very vulnerable to the different predators out there. As they get older they will move further down in the water.
Image source: BeCause
Octopuses are found from shallow waters to the deep ocean. Scientists believe *O. vulgaris* may include multiple related species. Some recognized types include:
- Sensu stricto: Mediterranean Sea, central and northeast Atlantic
- Type I: Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, South Carolina to Venezuela
- Type II: Coastal waters of Brazil
- Type III: South African coast from Namibia to Durban
- Type IV: Northwest Pacific Ocean subtropical and temperate waters