Common Octopus

Photo: Susanne Spindler · CC BY-NC-ND

Common octopus are extraordinarily abundant around the Sal Rei wrecks, exploiting the structural complexity of corroded metal for both daytime dens and nocturnal ambush positions. At night they leave the wreck and hunt actively across the surrounding sand, and the combination of wreck and sandy habitat in proximity makes individual density unusually high. Their camouflage on the rusted and sponge-covered wreck surfaces is remarkable, and daylight dives reward careful observers who look for the slight bulge of a folded arm or a telltale eye.