Antarctic Octopus (Paraledone Turqueti)

This animal is quite small and is usually an inhabitant of deeper water. Its thin arms are used for capturing less robust prey, like small shrimps and other crustaceans.

Pareledone turqueti, also known as Turquet's Octopus, this creature lives in the icy depths around Antarctica, particularly the South Shetland Islands and South Georgia. It can live in shallow waters or go as deep as 13,000ft (4000m)...the temperatures of these waters range from 28 to 50°F (−2 to 10°C) Its body length is about 5 inches (15cm) and the legs extend to roughly the same.


Almost nothing is known about this species including diet but it is assumed to feed on crustaceans such as shrimp, krill and crabs like its cousins. It is part of an ecosystem that is experiencing some turmoil due to the recent breakup of ice in the polar regions. We can expect quite a few new species to be discovered in this untouched part of the world.


Other Pictures of Antarctic Octopus.