Risso, 1826
Hatchlings undescribed. Early larvae (ML 2.4 mm) with short round body, wide head, short subequal arms, each with 4-6 chromatophores in one row. Three primary suckers on each arm, 1st smaller than 2nd-3rd. Suckers arranged in 2 rows beginning from 4th arm. Web rather deep. Dorsal mantle with approx. 12 chromatophores on anterior (2 lateral diagonal patches), and >20 on posterior area; ventral mantle with >35 chromatophores on anterior area and along midline (2 longitudinal rows), and >20 on posterior area; dorsal head with 14, funnel with 4. Subsequently the body becomes ovoid and somewhat pointed, the head narrows, arm ends get pointed, 1st arm grows somewhat longer than others, then 2nd (evident only in latest larvae), outer side of arms first with one, then with two rows of chromatophores, number of chromatophores on dorsal mantle to >30, on dorsal head to >18; ventral mantle in mid-region with many chromatophores. ML of planktonic larvae up to 15-20 mm; 9-13 lamellae per demibranch. Egg size 1.8-2.0 mm.
A shallow-water species, more common at islands than near continents, inhabit mostly coral reefs. Even juvenile octopuses may rise at night to the surface. There are several very similar species in the Indo-West Pacific.