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NARMS taxon details

Octopus Cuvier, 1797

138268 (urn:lsid:marinespecies.org:taxname:138268)

  1. Biota
  2. Animalia
  3. Mollusca
  4. Cephalopoda
  5. Coleoidea
  6. Octopodiformes
  7. Octopoda
  8. Incirrata
  9. Octopodoidea
  10. Octopodidae
  11. Octopus
accepted
Genus
Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797 (type by subsequent designation)
Octopodidae A. d'Orbigny, 1839
Polypus Leach, 1817 · unaccepted (ICZN Opinion 233)

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  1. Species Octopus americanus Froriep, 1806
  2. Species Octopus mimus A. A. Gould, 1852
  3. Species Octopus salutii Vérany, 1839
  4. Species Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797
  5. Species Octopus bandensis Hoyle, 1885 (uncertain > nomen dubium)
  6. Species Octopus elegans Brock, 1887 (uncertain > nomen dubium)
  7. Species Octopus moschites Carus, 1824 (uncertain > taxon inquirendum, Unresolved species of Eledone)
  8. Species Octopus pictus Blainville, 1826 (uncertain > nomen dubium)
  9. Subgenus Octopus (Philonexis) A. d'Orbigny, 1835 accepted as Tremoctopus delle Chiaje, 1830 (unaccepted > junior subjective synonym)
    1. Species Octopus (Philonexis) quoyanus A. d'Orbigny, 1834 accepted as Tremoctopus violaceus Delle Chiaje, 1830 (synonym)
  10. Species Octopus aegina J. E. Gray, 1849 accepted as Amphioctopus aegina (J. E. Gray, 1849) (unaccepted > superseded combination)
  11. Species Octopus alderii Vérany, 1851 accepted as Callistoctopus macropus (Risso, 1826) accepted as Pinnoctopus macropus (Risso, 1826) (synonym)
  12. Species Octopus arcticus Prosch, 1849 accepted as Bathypolypus arcticus (Prosch, 1849)
  13. Species Octopus atlanticus A. d'Orbigny, 1834 accepted as Tremoctopus violaceus Delle Chiaje, 1830 (synonym)
  14. Species Octopus bairdii A. E. Verrill, 1872 accepted as Bathypolypus bairdii (A. E. Verrill, 1872) (unaccepted > superseded combination)
  15. Species Octopus bermudensis Hoyle, 1885 accepted as Callistoctopus furvus (A. A. Gould, 1852) accepted as Pinnoctopus furvus (A. A. Gould, 1852) (synonym)
  16. Species Octopus bitentaculatus Risso, 1854 accepted as Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797
  17. Species Octopus brevitentaculatus Blainville, 1826 accepted as Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797
  18. Species Octopus carenae Vérany, 1839 accepted as Ocythoe tuberculata Rafinesque, 1814 (synonym)
  19. Species Octopus cassiopea J. E. Gray, 1849 accepted as Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797 (unaccepted > junior subjective synonym)
  20. Species Octopus catenulatus R. A. Philippi, 1844 accepted as Ocythoe tuberculata Rafinesque, 1814 (unaccepted > junior subjective synonym)
  21. Species Octopus chromatus Heilprin, 1888 accepted as Callistoctopus furvus (A. A. Gould, 1852) accepted as Pinnoctopus furvus (A. A. Gould, 1852) (synonym)
  22. Species Octopus cirrhosus Lamarck, 1798 accepted as Eledone cirrhosa (Lamarck, 1798) (original combination)
  23. Species Octopus cocco Vérany, 1846 accepted as Pteroctopus tetracirrhus (Delle Chiaje, 1830)
  24. Species Octopus cuvierii A. d'Orbigny, 1826 accepted as Pinnoctopus cuvieri (A. d'Orbigny, 1826) (unaccepted > superseded combination)
  25. Species Octopus defilippi Vérany, 1851 accepted as Macrotritopus defilippi (Vérany, 1851) (unaccepted > superseded combination)
  26. Species Octopus equivocus G. C. Robson, 1929 accepted as Macrotritopus equivocus (G. C. Robson, 1929) (unaccepted > superseded combination)
  27. Species Octopus ergasticus P. Fischer & H. Fischer, 1892 accepted as Bathypolypus ergasticus (P. Fischer & H. Fischer, 1892)
  28. Species Octopus gracilis A. E. Verrill, 1884 accepted as Macrotritopus equivocus (G. C. Robson, 1929) (unaccepted > junior homonym, not Octopus gracilis Souleyet, 1852; replaced by Octopus (Macrotritopus) equivocus G. C. Robson, 1929)
  29. Species Octopus granosus Blainville, 1826 accepted as Callistoctopus macropus (Risso, 1826) accepted as Pinnoctopus macropus (Risso, 1826) (synonym)
  30. Species Octopus granulatus Lamarck, 1798 accepted as Amphioctopus granulatus (Lamarck, 1798) (original combination)
  31. Species Octopus groenlandicus Dewhurst, 1856 accepted as Bathypolypus arcticus (Prosch, 1849) (synonym)
  32. Species Octopus hyalinus A. d'Orbigny, 1835 accepted as Tremoctopus violaceus Delle Chiaje, 1830 (unaccepted > junior subjective synonym)
  33. Species Octopus kempi (G. C. Robson, 1929) accepted as Macrotritopus defilippi (Vérany, 1851) (unaccepted > junior subjective synonym)
  34. Species Octopus koellikerii Vérany, 1847 accepted as Tremoctopus violaceus Delle Chiaje, 1830 (unaccepted > junior subjective synonym)
  35. Species Octopus lechenaultii A. d'Orbigny, 1826 accepted as Octopus cuvierii A. d'Orbigny, 1826 accepted as Pinnoctopus cuvieri (A. d'Orbigny, 1826)
  36. Species Octopus lentus A. E. Verrill, 1880 accepted as Bathypolypus bairdii (A. E. Verrill, 1872) (unaccepted > junior subjective synonym)
  37. Species Octopus leschenaultii [sic] accepted as Octopus lechenaultii A. d'Orbigny, 1826 accepted as Octopus cuvierii A. d'Orbigny, 1826 accepted as Pinnoctopus cuvieri (A. d'Orbigny, 1826) (misspelling)
  38. Species Octopus lothei Chun, 1913 accepted as Bathypolypus ergasticus (P. Fischer & H. Fischer, 1892)
  39. Species Octopus macropodus San Giovanni, 1829 accepted as Callistoctopus macropus (Risso, 1826) accepted as Pinnoctopus macropus (Risso, 1826) (synonym)
  40. Species Octopus macropus Risso, 1826 accepted as Pinnoctopus macropus (Risso, 1826) (unaccepted > superseded combination)
  41. Species Octopus microstomus Reynaud, 1830 accepted as Tremoctopus violaceus Delle Chiaje, 1830 (synonym)
  42. Species Octopus moschatus Lamarck, 1798 accepted as Eledone moschata (Lamarck, 1798) (original combination)
  43. Species Octopus niger Risso, 1854 accepted as Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797 (dubious synonym)
  44. Species Octopus obesus A. E. Verrill, 1880 accepted as Bathypolypus arcticus (Prosch, 1849) (unaccepted > junior subjective synonym)
  45. Species Octopus pilosus Risso, 1826 accepted as Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797
  46. Species Octopus piscatorum A. E. Verrill, 1879 accepted as Bathypolypus bairdii (A. E. Verrill, 1872) (unaccepted > junior subjective synonym)
  47. Species Octopus rabassin Risso, 1854 accepted as Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797
  48. Species Octopus reticularis Petagna [in Monticelli], 1828 accepted as Ocythoe tuberculata Rafinesque, 1814 (synonym)
  49. Species Octopus ruber Rafinesque, 1814 accepted as Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797
  50. Species Octopus rufus Risso, 1854 accepted as Scaeurgus unicirrhus (Delle Chiaje, 1841) (dubious synonym)
  51. Species Octopus saluzzii Vérany, 1840 accepted as Octopus salutii Vérany, 1839 (synonym)
  52. Species Octopus semipalmatus R. Owen, 1836 accepted as Tremoctopus violaceus Delle Chiaje, 1830 (synonym)
  53. Species Octopus sponsalis P. Fischer & H. Fischer, 1892 accepted as Bathypolypus sponsalis (P. Fischer & H. Fischer, 1892)
  54. Species Octopus tetracirrhus Delle Chiaje, 1830 accepted as Pteroctopus tetracirrhus (Delle Chiaje, 1830) (original combination)
  55. Species Octopus tritentaculatus Risso, 1854 accepted as Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797
  56. Species Octopus troschelii Targioni-Tozzetti, 1869 accepted as Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797 (dubious synonym)
  57. Species Octopus tuberculatus Blainville, 1826 accepted as Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797 (synonym)
  58. Species Octopus unicirrhus Delle Chiaje, 1841 accepted as Scaeurgus unicirrhus (Delle Chiaje, 1841) (superseded combination)
  59. Species Octopus velatus Rang, 1837 accepted as Tremoctopus violaceus Delle Chiaje, 1830 (synonym)
  60. Species Octopus velifer A. Férussac, 1835 accepted as Tremoctopus violaceus Delle Chiaje, 1830 (unaccepted > junior subjective synonym)
  61. Species Octopus veranyi R. Wagner, 1828 accepted as Ocythoe tuberculata Rafinesque, 1814 (synonym)
marine, brackish, fresh, terrestrial
masculine
Cuvier, G. (1797). Tableau élémentaire de l'histoire naturelle des animaux. [Elementary Table of the Natural History of Animals.]. <em>Baudoin, Paris.</em> :i-xvi, 1-710, pls 1-14. [Dec 1797]., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11637076
page(s): 380 [details] OpenAccess publication
MolluscaBase eds. (2026). MolluscaBase. Octopus Cuvier, 1797. Accessed through: Costello, M.J.; Bouchet, P.; Boxshall, G.; Arvanitidis, C.; Appeltans, W. (2026) European Register of Marine Species at: https://www.marbef.org/data/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=138268 on 2026-07-10
Costello, M.J.; Bouchet, P.; Boxshall, G.; Arvanitidis, C.; Appeltans, W. (2026). European Register of Marine Species. Octopus Cuvier, 1797. Accessed at: https://vliz.be/vmdcdata/narms/narms.php?p=taxdetails&id=138268 on 2026-07-10
Date
action
by
2004-12-21 15:54:05Z
created
Gofas, Serge
2013-10-13 18:03:35Z
changed
Gofas, Serge
2015-01-31 10:25:01Z
changed
Bouchet, Philippe
2018-02-07 15:28:10Z
changed
Bouchet, Philippe
2018-05-27 23:05:56Z
changed
Marshall, Bruce
2020-05-04 20:12:36Z
changed
Bouchet, Philippe
2026-04-21 08:57:28Z
changed
Bouchet, Philippe
2026-05-03 21:24:40Z
changed
Marshall, Bruce

original description Cuvier, G. (1797). Tableau élémentaire de l'histoire naturelle des animaux. [Elementary Table of the Natural History of Animals.]. <em>Baudoin, Paris.</em> :i-xvi, 1-710, pls 1-14. [Dec 1797]., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11637076
page(s): 380 [details] OpenAccess publication

taxonomy source Norman M.D., Finn J.K. & Hochberg F.G. (2014). Family Octopodidae. pp. 36-215, in P. Jereb, C.F.E. Roper, M.D. Norman & J.K. Finn eds. <i>Cephalopods of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of cephalopod species known to date</i>. Volume 3. Octopods and Vampire Squids. <em>FAO Species Catalogue for Fishery Purposes [Rome, FAO].</em> 4(3): 353 pp. 11 pls. [details] 

subsequent type designation ICZN. (1997). Opinion 1861. <i>Octopus vulgaris</i> Cuvier [1797] and <i>Loligo vulgaris</i> Lamarck, 1798 (Mollusca, Cephalopoda): specific names conserved. <em>Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature.</em> 54: 59-60., available online at http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/12446295 [details] 
 
 Present  Inaccurate  Introduced: alien  Containing type locality 
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To European Nucleotide Archive, ENA (Octopus) 
To European Nucleotide Archive, ENA (Polypus) (from synonym Polypus Leach, 1817)
To Genbank 
To Genbank (from synonym Polypus Leach, 1817)
To NMNH Extant Collection (IZ 1151562 closeup view) 
To NMNH Extant Collection (IZ 1151562 specimen) 
To Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History (YPM IZ 038243) 
To ITIS
Unreviewed