Megaleledone

Megaleledone setebos, the giant Antarctic octopus, is a very large octopus with a circum-Antarctic distribution. It grows to at least 28 cm in mantle length and 90 cm in total length.[1] M. setebos feeds by drilling small holes in large, shelled mollusks, and then injecting its poisonous saliva. The venom even works at subfreezing temperatures.[2]

Megaleledone
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Cephalopoda
Order: Octopoda
Family: Megaleledonidae
Genus: Megaleledone
Taki, 1961
Species:
M. setebos
Binomial name
Megaleledone setebos
(Robson, 1932)
Synonyms
  • Graneledone setebos
    Robson, 1932
  • Megaleledone senoi
    Taki, 1961
  • Pareledone senoi
    (Taki, 1961)

This species was transferred to the genus Megaleledone and synonymised with Megaleledone senoi in a 2003 paper.[1]

References
  1. Allcock, A.L., F.G. Hochberg & T.N. Stranks 2003. Re-evaluation of Graneledone setebos (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae) and allocation to the genus Megaleledone. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the UK 83(2): 319–328. doi:10.1017/S0025315403007148h
  2. Antarctic octopuses found with cold-resistant venom. Reuters, July 22, 2010.


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