The curled octopus (Eledone cirrhosa), also known as the horned octopus, lesser octopus or northern octopus, is a species of cephalopod found in the northeast Atlantic, ranging from Norway to the Mediterranean, including the British Isles. The total length of an adult is around 50 cm, but their arms are often tightly curled. It immobilises and eats large crustaceans by drilling a hole through their shell. It is mainly by-catch in commercial fisheries of the north eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean, where the common octopus is the preferred species.
From Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is it venomous or poisonous?
We have no record of Curled Octopus being toxic, poisonous or venomous. That is not proof that it is safe. Never eat, touch or handle a wild plant, mushroom or animal on the strength of an identification; ask someone qualified.
Easily confused with
- Robsonella fontaniana
- Enteroctopus dofleini
- Octopus rubescens
- Octopus kaurna
- Macroctopus maorum
- Amphioctopus aegina
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Mollusca
- Class
- Cephalopoda
- Order
- Octopoda
- Family
- Eledonidae
- Genus
- Eledone
- Species
- Eledone cirrhosa
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