Callistoctopus

Callistoctopus
Illustration of Callistoctopus macropus by Comingio Merculiano, 1897
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Cephalopoda
Order: Octopoda
Family: Octopodidae
Genus: Callistoctopus
Iw. Taki, 1964
Type species
Callistoctopus arakawai
(accepted as Callistoctopus ornatus)
Taki, 1964
Species

See text.

Synonyms

Eledonenta Rochebrune, 1884

Callistoctopus is a genus of nocturnal, orange octopuses in the family Octopodidae. They are readily identifiable by their reddish coloring, the white papillae that line their bodies, and their long arms. Though sympatric with diurnal Octopus species, they avoid competition by hunting at night. In acknowledgement of this preference, many species of Callistoctopus are referred to as night octopuses. Well-known species include C. macropus (Atlantic white-spotted octopus) and the type species C. ornatus (ornate octopus), both of which are harvested for human consumption as seafood.