REPRODUCTION

When reproduction process occurs, the male’s octopuses will use their special arm (hectocotylus) to insert spermatophores (sperms) into the female’s reproductive system. The hectocotylus octopuses are usually in the third right arm.

·         Males die after a few months of mating

•   Some species of the female octopuses can keep the sperm alive for weeks until her eggs are mature.

•  After fertilization, female lays about 200,000 eggs per time; it also depends on the family’s history, genera, species and individuals).

·         The female hangs her eggs in strings from the ceiling of her lair.

·         The female care for the eggs, protecting them from predators, and blowing currents of water to provide enough oxygen for the eggs.

·         The female does not hunt during the one-month period and only spent time to care of the premature eggs.

·         Female octopuses also sometimes ingest some of her arms for nourishments.

·         Young larval octopuses spend a period of time drifting in clouds of plankton, where they feed larval crabs and larval starfish until they are ready to descend to the bottom of ocean.

Image of baby octopus