Northwest Dive Club

Hi
The octo outside of the den of another octo mentioned in this thread http://nwdiveclub.com/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=23728, had a big long ribbon coming out of its gill. Anyone know what this is?

Remnants of octo sex, if I remember correctly.

I don't remember the correct name, but I think it is the sperm packet that the male delivers to the female.

I'm sure someone will give all the correct nomenclature.

http://www.nwdiveclub.com/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=22034

found this awhile back, thought it was some kind of fishing lure but Greg Jensen thought too that it was spermatophore- probably a recently-mated female

Yep....spermatophore.

Greetings

That is a ribbon of poop.

At the Feiro Center we see this almost daily from our GPO's. From a good sized animal those things can easily be several feet long and are surprisingly resilient and kind of stretchy - I'd rather not discuss how I know this

The color on this example is slightly different from what our GPO's usually produce. Ours almost exclusively eat live Red Rock Crab and I would guess that this one had recently eaten something else.

Fecally yours,

Alex

P.S. If you've got a copy of Jim Cosgrove's book Super Suckers there are two pictures of GPO spermatophores on page 78.

Tidepool Geek wrote:Greetings

That is a ribbon of poop.
and are surprisingly resilient and kind of stretchy - I'd rather not discuss how I know this
.

:-D
Please. ... go on, we'd like to hear the story. ;-)

Tidepool Geek wrote:Greetings

That is a ribbon of poop.

haha! Thanks for the reply. I had grander hopes of this being something more rare and fantastic

Is this a spermatophore?

yep- note the different color and shape as opposed to the poop shot

Thx!

Could it be a piece of kelp, in there like a string of spaghetti going in the mouth and out the nostril?