Day octopus
Octopus cyanea
Sighting evidence at General Stores, Kauai
Photo: Doug Finney · CC BY-NC
The basalt block habitat at General Stores is ideal for day octopus, which require crevices for egg-brooding and retreating after hunts. They hunt crustaceans and fish with remarkable speed and intelligence, using tools such as coconut shell halves and shells as portable shelters — a behaviour documented in Hawaiian populations. At this site they are frequently spotted in the open, stalking prey with colour-changing flanks rippling in real time, providing some of the most reliable octopus encounters on the island.
Evidence at this site
No confirmed records on file at this site
Day octopus is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.