This is a small bodied octopus (up to 24mm) whose arms are of unequal length, It has a branched ocular cirrus (filament) above each eye and had a diamond shaped pattern of them on the upper mantle (body). The whole body is covered in papillae (extendable bumps), which it can extend or retract at will. The arms are short and stocky, although they can appear very thin when stretched out. All the suckers are of similar size. Colour is very variable and ranges through red, orange, tan, grey and green. There are 2 iridescent patches on the mantle.

Intertidal and subtidal reefs, sometimes down as deep as 250m, although this is not common. Found amonst rock or coarse shell gravel. Found throughout NZ but more common in the south.

All octopus are predators on crustaceans usually crabs. They can catch and consume surprisingly large prey.

Octopus are terminal spawners, after mating the male dies. The females live longer as they tend their eggs, which are laid on the walls and roof of their rocky den. There the females blow oxygenated water over the eggs, keep them clean and scare off predators. As the eggs hatch, she leaves the den and dies away from it so she doesn't attract predators to the hatchlings.

Coastal Marine Inverts Vol 1.