Baby octo question

Fish & Invertebrate sightings and descriptions, hosted by resident NWDC ID expert Janna Nichols (nwscubamom).
Post Reply
User avatar
YellowEye
I've Got Gills
Posts: 3234
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2006 8:08 am

Baby octo question

Post by YellowEye »

Hi
So, sometimes we're seeing baby octo's with a white egg sac (presumably) between their legs. Sometimes not.

Any idea of why?
Visit pnwdiving.com for viz reports, slack planning, galleries and more!
User avatar
bradmond
Submariner
Posts: 571
Joined: Fri May 31, 2013 1:50 am

Re: Baby octo question

Post by bradmond »

some are boys and some are girls? :taco:
User avatar
Gdog
NWDC Moderator
NWDC Moderator
Posts: 3984
Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2008 7:41 pm

Re: Baby octo question

Post by Gdog »

I guess I assumed it was part of the yoke sac but I don't know. I did notice on some that as they made their way up in the water column the sac was discarded.
Great question hope someone in the know can answer it.
Tidepool Geek
Aquaphile
Posts: 123
Joined: Sat Aug 20, 2011 10:36 pm

Re: Baby octo question

Post by Tidepool Geek »

Greetings,

Caveat - I don't really know the answer to this. What follows is speculation.

For an octopus, egg laying is a very time consuming process. According to Jim Cosgrove it can take four weeks for mama octopus to lay her 60 to 80 thousand eggs. That means that egg #1 is nearly a month older than egg #80,000 yet all of the eggs typically hatch over a very short period of time. I can't find an exact reference but in Cosgrove's book it indicates that the full hatch takes less than a day and I'm pretty sure that he mentioned in a lecture (for the Feiro Center) that hatching generally takes only a few hours.

By extension, that implies the youngest eggs are significantly less developed than the oldest ones and that the youngest will not have consumed all of their yolks. If the yolk has not been consumed it remains attached after hatching until the baby octopus removes it.

One wonders if the baby octopus is in a hurry to get rid of the yolk sack since it's a hindrance to swimming or if it wants to keep it till the nutrition is gone.

Obstetrically yours,
Alex
User avatar
ScubaJess
NWDC Moderator
NWDC Moderator
Posts: 2681
Joined: Fri Aug 08, 2014 3:56 pm

Re: Baby octo question

Post by ScubaJess »

Very fascinating Alex! :)
Live Long And Prosper!!!

Stay Warm underwater with the Weezle Extreme Plus undergarment! Please let me know if you would like to order one or have any questions. :luv: :partydance: :eric: :taco:
Post Reply