Marshall Islands Cephalopoda

Cephalopoda in the Marshalls includes species of octopus, squid and cuttlefish. Octopus in particular can be difficult to identify, so many of the names we use are tentative, several based on similarities to photos in Humann & DeLoach (2010). Reef dwelling squid and cuttlefish are known from only a few species. Although we have seen no living Nautilus specimens and they are not known to occur this far east in the Pacific, there is some evidence that they may live in deep water well down the seaward slopes of Marshall Islands atolls.

Measurements were not taken in the field, so sizes given are very rough eyeball estimates often based on distant memories, and are provided only as a general guideline of what to look for. The thumbnails below link to pages with additional, larger photographs.

OCTOPODIDAE - Octopus


Abdopus aculeatus


Abdopus sp.1

Abdopus? sp. 2

Abdopus? sp. 3

Amphioctopus marginatus

Amphioctopus siamensis

Macrotritopus? sp. 1

Macrotritopus sp. 2

Octopus cyanea

Octopus wolfi


Octopus? sp. 1


Octopus sp. 3

Octopus paralarva

LOLIGINIDAE - Squid


Sepioteuthis lessoniana

OMMASTREPHIDAE - Flying Squid


Ommastrephidae sp. 1

SEPIOLIDAE - Bobtail Squid


Euprymna berryi

IDIOSEPHIIDAE - Pygmy Squid


Idiosepius sp.

SEPIIDAE - Cuttlefish


Ascarosepion bandense

NAUTILIDAE - Chambered Nautilus


Nautilus cf belauensis


Nautilus pompilius

Humann, Paul & Ned DeLoach. 2010. Reef Creature Identification Tropical Pacific. New World Publications, Inc. Jacksonville.

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