In Which Ecosystem Does the Blue-Ringed Octopus Live?

Ecosystems can be defined as the interaction and relationships of many different organisms and their physical environment. Ecosystems depend on healthy relationships between organisms and the physical environment to be successful. The blue-ringed octopus lives in an underwater ecosystem that meets feeding needs, habitat needs and provides the proper interaction with other organisms. Very few places in the world provide blue-ringed octopuses with the ecosystem they need to survive.

  1. Range of Habitat

    • About 10 species of blue-ringed octopuses live in different areas of the world. Some species including the lesser blue-ringed octopus live off the coast of southern Australia. Other species, including the greater blue-ringed octopus, live from northern Australia all the way to Japan. They also live near certain islands, including the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and west toward Sri Lanka.

    Underwater Habitat

    • Blue-ringed octopuses living off the southern coast of Australia rely on ecosystems providing temperate water and sandy areas. They live between depths of 0 to 160 feet. Blue-ringed octopuses in other areas live in shallow reefs and tide pools, at water depths of between 0 to 65 feet. Because blue-ringed octopuses do not have skeletons, they can squeeze into bottles, mollusk shells, aluminum cans and just about anything else to create a den. This species also burrows into sand or gravel to conceal itself from predators and to sneak up on possible prey. They are primarily active at night.

    Feeding and Predators

    • A blue-ringed octopus needs an ecosystem that provides small crabs, hermit crabs, mollusks and shrimp to feed on. This species of octopus uses its strong beak to puncture the hard shells of prey, injects them with poison and feeds on them. Blue-ringed octopuses are themselves food for numerous different predators. The moray eel is the biggest threat, but seals, whales and some types of birds also feed on them.

    Bacteria

    • All blue-ringed octopuses live with bacteria on them. Colonies of bacteria live in the salivary gland of the octopus, and their job is to produce tetrodotoxin. Tetrodotoxin is a strong neurotoxin used by a blue-ringed octopus for defense and to kill prey. A bite from this species of octopus can paralyze and even kill an adult male human in minutes. There is no antidote, and the octopus is not affected in any way by the neurotoxin. This symbiotic relationship provides both the octopus and bacteria necessary survival elements.