Depth
Octopus · Molluscs (Octopus, Nudibranchs & Shellfish)

Common octopus

Octopus vulgaris

0-40m
Depth Range
Variable
Max Size
Mediterranean
Distribution
0-40m
Depth Range
Variable
Max Size
Reef & Open
Habitat
Carnivore
Diet
Solitary
Social
LC
IUCN Status
High
Sighting Likelihood
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Mollusca
Genus Octopus
Species vulgaris

Mollusc

Identification & Biology

  • IdentificationA large, intelligent octopus with eight arms covered in two rows of suckers. Highly variable colour, changing rapidly from grey to brown, red, or mottled patterns for camouflage. The body is muscular and bag-shaped with prominent eyes.
  • SizeMantle length up to 25 cm. Arm span up to 100 cm. Weight up to 10 kg, though most are smaller.
  • Social HabitSolitary and territorial. Maintains a den (a hole or crevice) decorated with a midden of discarded shells and crab carapaces. Highly intelligent, capable of problem-solving and tool use.
  • HabitatRocky reefs, caves, seagrass meadows, sandy bottoms, and even artificial structures. One of the most adaptable marine invertebrates.
  • Depth0 to 200 m. Most common between 5 and 50 m.
  • Feeds OnCrabs (primary prey), lobsters, bivalves, fish, and other molluscs. Hunts using a combination of stealth, speed, and venom.
  • DistributionEastern Atlantic from the British Isles to West Africa, and throughout the Mediterranean Sea. Abundant in Maltese waters.
  • DescriptionOctopus vulgaris is one of the most intelligent invertebrates in the ocean, with a complex nervous system, excellent vision, and the ability to change both colour and skin texture in milliseconds. In Malta, it is one of the most commonly encountered large invertebrates on any dive. Look for the telltale pile of empty crab and shell fragments outside its den entrance. The species is commercially fished throughout the Mediterranean.

Range

Habitat & Distribution

Found across the Mediterranean, inhabiting reef & open environments. Active from the surface down to 40m depth.

Where Malta divers have spotted this species

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Sightings are logged by divers using our What Did You See? dive-log tool. View the full live sightings map.

Detail

Preferred Environment

Reef & Open habitats, typically at depths of 0-40m. Most commonly encountered by divers at the shallower end of its range.

Encounter Tips

Best approached slowly and calmly. Avoid casting shadows directly over the animal. Neutral buoyancy and patience increase encounter success significantly.

Common octopus species card

Biology

Behaviour & Diet

Feeding Strategy

A versatile predator that hunts crabs, bivalves and small fish. It uses its arms to prise open shells and sometimes drills through them with its radula.

Active predator

Reproduction

Females lay up to 500,000 eggs in festoons inside a den, guarding and aerating them for weeks without feeding. The female dies shortly after the eggs hatch.

Semelparous

Behaviour & Defence

Ejects a cloud of dark ink to confuse predators while jetting away. It can also change colour, texture and body shape in milliseconds to blend with its surroundings.

Ink cloud

Dive with diveshack

Where to Encounter in Malta

The following dive sites offer strong habitat match for Octopus vulgaris. All are accessible on a guided dive with diveshack.

5-30m
North Malta

Cirkewwa

Rocky reef with caves, arches and ledges hosting a rich diversity of reef species.

View dive site ›
5-50m
Gozo

Blue Hole

One of the Med's most famous reef dive sites. Rocky walls and archways covered in life.

View dive site ›
18-36m
South Malta

Um El Faroud

The wreck lies on a sandy bottom surrounded by rocky reef -- a diverse habitat attracting reef species.

View dive site ›
IUCN Red List Least Concern

Conservation Status

This species is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Mediterranean populations face ongoing pressure from fishing activity, habitat degradation, and climate-driven changes to prey availability.

Source: iNaturalist Guide #888
by Lesley Clements (CC BY-SA)
diveshack Mediterranean Marine Life guide