scubaseason

Octopus

Octopus cyanea

Sighting evidence at Patch Reef East, Chumbe Island Coral Park

Octopus

Photo: Doug Finney · CC BY-NC

Day octopus are the dominant octopus species in the Zanzibar Channel and are active during daylight hours as well as at night, giving divers genuine opportunities for extended observation. They move across the reef by jet propulsion and arm-walking, changing colour and texture within milliseconds to match substrate. At Patch Reef East they are commonly seen hunting crabs and small fish among the base of bommies.

Evidence at this site

No confirmed records on file at this site

Octopus is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.

How is this calculated?

Sighting evidence is compiled from iNaturalist observation records within a set proximity radius, filtered for quality-grade observations. “Last confirmed” is the date of the most recent research-grade record. Record count covers a rolling 24-month window. Confidence reflects record count, recency, and consistency of seasonal signal.

Also seen at other sites