Image of Giant, Muse, and Rough Octopuses

Description:

Description: This one is a Muusoctopus (the new name for Benthoctopus). It is not Muusoctopus januarii and certainly not Pteroctopus tetracirrhus. It might be a Muusoctopus johnsonianus but they are usually paler that this with more distinct reverse countershading. I suspect that there are undescribed species in the Gulf of Mexico and this may be one. Octopus with 2 rows of suckers on each arm and 8 arms. This narrows it down a bit. It is a female as no reproductive arm (hectocotylus) is visible on the third right arm. An old reference on the recorded deep-water octopus from the GoM (Voss, 1956) seems out of date compared to modern knowledge.
Item Type: Image
Title: Octopus (Muusoctopus johnsonianus? or new species) from Gulf of Mexico
Species: Muusoctopus johnsonianus
Site: Atlantic -- Gulf of Mexico -- Gulf of Mexico
Site Description: Seafloor
Depth (m): 1816
Latitude: 27 deg 20' 00" N
Longitude: 88 deg 12' 00" W
Countries: USA -- USA: Gulf of Mexico
Rig: MV Geoholm
ROV: Triton XLS 11
Deposited By: Dr Daniel Jones
Deposited On: 06 August 2013