Megaleledone setebos
| Megaleledone setebos | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Cephalopoda |
| Order: | Octopoda |
| Suborder: | Incirrina |
| Family: | Octopodidae |
| Subfamily: | Megaleledoninae Taki, 1961 |
| Genus: | Megaleledone Taki, 1961 |
| Species: | M. setebos |
| Binomial name | |
| Megaleledone setebos (Robson, 1932) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Megaleledone setebos, the giant Antarctic octopus, is a very large octopus with a circum-Antarctic distribution. It grows to at least 28 cm in mantle length and 90 cm in total length.[1] M. setebos feeds by drilling small holes in large, shelled mollusks, and then injecting its poisonous saliva. The venom even works at subfreezing temperatures.[2]
This species was transferred to the genus Megaleledone and synonymised with Megaleledone senoi in a 2003 paper.[1]
References
- 1 2 Allcock, A.L., F.G. Hochberg & T.N. Stranks 2003. Re-evaluation of Graneledone setebos (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae) and allocation to the genus Megaleledone. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the UK 83(2): 319–328. doi:10.1017/S0025315403007148h
- ↑ Antarctic octopuses found with cold-resistant venom. Reuters, July 22, 2010.
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