Mototi Octopus (Amphioctopus mototi)

Images taken at Ambon, Indonesia

The Mototi Octopus can be identified taxonomically through several distinctive anatomical and pattern characteristics typical of small reef octopuses in the family Octopodidae.

The body has a relatively small, rounded mantle that is smooth in texture and proportionally compact compared with the length of the arms. The mantle connects to eight long, slender arms that are flexible and capable of extending far beyond the body while the animal moves or hunts.

The arms contain two rows of suckers along their length, which are used for gripping surfaces and capturing prey. The arms are usually longer than the mantle and taper toward the tips, which is characteristic of species within the genus Amphioctopus.

The skin surface can rapidly change colour and pattern using chromatophores. This species is well known for its distinctive pattern of pale oval or white spots that appear across a darker background, creating a high-contrast spotted appearance when the animal is displaying.

The eyes are relatively large and positioned laterally on the head, allowing a wide field of vision that assists with detecting prey and predators in reef environments.

Internally, the species has the typical octopus anatomy of a soft body with no internal shell or skeleton. Movement is achieved either by crawling along the substrate using the arms or by short bursts of jet propulsion through the siphon.

These anatomical traits, together with the characteristic spotted colour pattern, are used by researchers and divers to identify Amphioctopus mototi in Indo-Pacific reef habitats.