“Behavior and Body Patterns of the Larger Pacific Striped Octopus”, 2015-08-12 (; similar):
[media] Over 30 years ago, anecdotal accounts of the undescribed Larger Pacific Striped Octopus suggested behaviors previously unknown for octopuses. Beak-to-beak mating, dens shared by mating pairs, inking during mating and extended spawning were mentioned in publications, and enticed generations of cephalopod biologists.
In 2012–22014 we were able to obtain several live specimens of this species [through the aquarium trade], which remains without a formal description.
All of the unique behaviors listed above were observed for animals in aquaria and are discussed here. We describe the behavior, body color patterns, and postures of 24 adults maintained in captivity. Chromatophore patterns of hatchlings are also shown.
…Between April 2012 and August 2014 a total of 24 individuals (13 males and 11 females) were hand-collected on SCUBA and obtained from commercial aquarium wholesalers [Quality Marine (18), Live Aquaria (1), Russo’s Reef (4) and Sea Logic (1)]. All specimens originated from the same collector from one location in Nicaragua. They were collected for commercial sale in the aquarium trade by Livan, Jansen & Cia. Ltda., Managua, Nicaragua, a firm that holds permits to collect and export octopus. It appeared to the locally-experienced collectors using SCUBA that there was only one persistent aggregation of octopus at the site of collection. Octopuses were shipped to the wholesalers within 4 days of capture, and then shipped to the authors within 4 days of arriving in the United States.