Cabrillo Field Notes

 

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Cabrillo National Monument protects a unique and diverse landscape thriving with life. Follow our science teams into the field and discover the stories of our park’s natural resources and beyond.

The Unique Octo-gem, the California Two-spot Octopus

December 22, 2023 Posted by: Conservation and Environmental Stewardship Apprentice Izzy Song, thirteen years old.

In the Rocky Intertidal at Cabrillo, lies a mysterious creature hidden underneath the algae. It grasps upon the rocks, mimicking the fluidity of the ocean— the twists and turns of its arms swinging into the gaps between the rocks. It looks toward the sun, showing its two, blue spots on its head. If you didn’t know already, this is the Octopus bimaculoides, known as the California Two-Spot Octopus. This mysterious mollusk has a unique way of surviving Cabrillo's ecosystem.

octopus, two-spotoctopus, marinewildlife, marinebiology, CabrilloNational Monument, climatechange, sealife, marinescience, NationalPark Service