Opisthoteuthis hardyi
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| Opisthoteuthis hardyi | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Cephalopoda |
| Order: | Octopoda |
| Family: | Opisthoteuthidae |
| Genus: | Opisthoteuthis |
| Species: | O. hardyi |
| Binomial name | |
| Opisthoteuthis hardyi Villanueva, Collins, Sánchez, & Voss, 2002[2] | |
Opisthoteuthis hardyi is a lesser-known octopus species. It was described in 2002 from a male caught off the Shag Rocks, which are far south in the Atlantic Ocean near the Falkland Islands.[3]
The specimen was medium-sized, with a mantle of 45 mm (1.8 in) long. The whole body was 250 mm (9.8 in) long.[4] It had some enlarged suckers, which is typical for male octopuses belonging to Opisthoteuthis. It also had a web connecting its long arms, which is common for cirrate octopuses and some incirrate octopuses.[3]
The specimen was found in the open ocean between 800 m (2,600 ft) and 1,000 m (3,300 ft) deep.[3] However, the true depth range is wider. After 2002, dozens more specimens, likely O. hardyi, were discovered on the Patagonian Shelf from 630–1,390 m (2,070–4,560 ft) deep.[5][6][7]