Reproduction
tolweb.org
Blue ringed octopi are gonochoristic. While females have eight identical arms, males have one that is different. The third arm is considered a hectocotylus. It is a modified arm that is inserted into the mantle cavity of the female. They transfer spermatophores in this process. (Cheng, 2000)
The process of reproduction results in death for both the male and the female. The male usually dies after copulation due to attack by the female. The female does not eat after the mating process and eventually dies of starvation. Cephalopods are the only mollusc that displays parental care. The blue ringed octopus takes this to a new extreme with the result being both parents dying.
The female will lay the eggs and then sit over the top of them in a protective position. If she needs to move to another location she picks up the eggs in her arms and moves to a safer location; farther from predators such as crabs, other octopi, or eels.
The process of reproduction results in death for both the male and the female. The male usually dies after copulation due to attack by the female. The female does not eat after the mating process and eventually dies of starvation. Cephalopods are the only mollusc that displays parental care. The blue ringed octopus takes this to a new extreme with the result being both parents dying.
The female will lay the eggs and then sit over the top of them in a protective position. If she needs to move to another location she picks up the eggs in her arms and moves to a safer location; farther from predators such as crabs, other octopi, or eels.
Development
(Overath, 1974)
The development of the blue ringed octopus doesn't vary much from that of other octopods. Blue ringed octopus do not have a free larval stage. This is a rare trait of cephalopods compared to the rest of the molluscs. Most have a free larval stage that goes through some sort of metamorphosis before becoming an adult. They develop in eggs protected by their mother and emerge as a small adult (Tranter,1973) . When they hatch they are the size of a pea. The mother cares for them for another 1-2 months before passing away due to starvation. At this point the young go on their own until they are sexually mature and have young of their own. This usually occurs about two years after hatching from their eggs. (Overath, 1974)