Octopuses are some of the most fascinating creatures living in our oceans. With their soft bodies, eight powerful arms, and surprisingly high intelligence, they seem almost like aliens from another world. From shallow coral reefs to the deep, dark sea, different types of octopus have adapted to survive in many environments. Some are tiny enough to fit on your fingertip, while others are large, strong, and even capable of changing color in seconds to hide from danger. Each species has its own unique shape, size, behavior, and survival skills. In this article, you will learn the most well-known types of octopus, learn their English names, and see clear pictures to help you easily recognize them. Whether you are a student, nature lover, or just curious about sea life, this guide will make understanding octopus species simple and enjoyable.
List of Octopus with Names in English
- Common
- Giant Pacific
- Blue-Ringed
- Caribbean Reef
- Coconut
- Day
- Wonderpus
- Atlantic Pygmy
- California Two-Spot
- East Pacific Red
- Veined
- Algae
- Star-Sucker Pygmy
- Hawaiian
- Mexican Four-Eyed
- Southern Sand
- Atlantic Longarm
- White-Spotted
- Brown
Types of Octopus with Names in English and Pictures
- Common Octopus
A widely found octopus species known for high intelligence, color-changing skin, flexible arms, and the ability to solve problems while living in rocky coastal waters.
- Giant Pacific Octopus
The largest octopus species in the world, living in cold Pacific waters, famous for its massive size, strength, intelligence, and long lifespan compared to other octopuses.
- Blue-Ringed Octopus
A very small but extremely venomous octopus identified by bright blue rings, found in shallow coastal waters, using its color as a warning to predators.
- Caribbean Reef Octopus
A reef-dwelling octopus from the Caribbean Sea, active mostly at night, known for camouflage skills and hunting crabs and small fish among coral reefs.
- Coconut Octopus
An intelligent octopus known for using coconut shells as tools and shelters, carrying them across the seafloor for protection, showing advanced problem-solving behavior.
- Day Octopus
An octopus active during daytime instead of night, relying on strong camouflage and alert behavior to hunt and avoid predators in bright, shallow reef environments.
- Wonderpus Octopus
A striking octopus with long arms and clear white patterns, living in sandy seabeds, known for unique markings and graceful movements rather than strong venom.
- Atlantic Pygmy Octopus
One of the smallest octopus species, living in Atlantic waters, known for quick movements, short lifespan, and hiding in shells or tiny reef crevices.
- California Two-Spot Octopus
A coastal octopus found near California, recognized by two blue eye-like spots, intelligent behavior, and preference for rocky seabeds and tidepool environments.
- East Pacific Red Octopus
A red-colored octopus species living in the eastern Pacific Ocean, adapted to cold waters, often hiding in crevices and feeding on crustaceans.
- Veined Octopus
An octopus with visible vein-like patterns on its body, known for tool use and living on sandy ocean floors where it hunts small marine animals.
- Algae Octopus
An octopus that blends with algae-covered rocks using greenish camouflage, helping it hide from predators while living in shallow coastal areas.
- Star-Sucker Pygmy Octopus
A tiny octopus with star-shaped sucker patterns, living in reef environments, using small size and camouflage to escape predators.
- Hawaiian Octopus
A reef-dwelling octopus native to Hawaiian waters, known locally as “Heʻe,” valued for intelligence, camouflage ability, and cultural importance.
- Mexican Four-Eyed Octopus
An octopus with eye-like markings that confuse predators, found near Mexican coastal waters, using visual deception as a defense strategy.
- Southern Sand Octopus
A sand-dwelling octopus that buries itself for protection, living in southern oceans and relying on soft body texture and camouflage.
- Atlantic Longarm Octopus
An Atlantic species with unusually long arms, helping it reach prey in crevices and move efficiently across rocky and reef-filled ocean floors.
- White-Spotted Octopus
An octopus marked with white spots that appear when threatened, using sudden color changes as a warning or distraction mechanism.
- Brown Octopus
A common color-based octopus type that blends easily with rocks and sand, using brown tones for effective camouflage in coastal habitats.
Types of Octopus with Names in English and Pictures
Common Octopus List in English
- Pale
- Red
- Smooth
- Rough
- Deep-Sea
- Shallow-Water
- Big-Eyed
- Small-Eyed
- Short-Arm
- Long-Arm
- Dwarf
- Reef
- Rock
- Sand
- Coral
- Mud
- Tropical
- Cold-Water
- Warm-Water
- Night
Different Types of Octopus with Names in English and Images
- Pale Octopus
An octopus with light-colored skin, often living in sandy or deep-water environments where pale coloring helps reduce visibility to predators.
- Red Octopus
A deep-water octopus with red coloration that appears dark in low light, helping it remain hidden in deeper ocean environments.
- Smooth Octopus
An octopus with smoother skin texture, relying more on color change than skin bumps for camouflage and communication.
- Rough Octopus
An octopus with textured, bumpy skin that helps it blend with rocky surfaces and coral environments.
- Deep-Sea Octopus
An octopus adapted to extreme ocean depths, with soft bodies, slow movement, and survival traits suited to darkness and high pressure.
- Shallow-Water Octopus
An octopus living near coastlines, reefs, and tidepools, often more active and exposed to predators and human observation.
- Big-Eyed Octopus
An octopus with large eyes that improve vision in low-light conditions, helping detect prey and predators in dim environments.
- Small-Eyed Octopus
An octopus with smaller eyes, usually living in well-lit shallow waters where strong vision is less critical.
- Short-Arm Octopus
An octopus with relatively shorter arms, relying more on quick movement and hiding rather than long-reaching hunting techniques.
- Long-Arm Octopus
An octopus with extended arms used for exploration, hunting, and reaching into deep cracks and crevices.
- Dwarf Octopus
A very small octopus species with a short lifespan, found in shallow waters and hiding inside shells or coral gaps.
- Reef Octopus
An octopus specialized for coral reef life, using advanced camouflage to match colorful and complex reef surroundings.
- Rock Octopus
An octopus that prefers rocky habitats, using body texture and color to blend with stones and cliffs.
- Sand Octopus
A burrowing octopus that lives on sandy ocean floors, often hiding under thin sand layers during rest.
- Coral Octopus
An octopus adapted to coral environments, skillfully navigating tight reef spaces while hunting small reef animals.
- Mud Octopus
An octopus living in muddy seabeds, using soft camouflage colors and burrowing behavior for protection.
- Tropical Octopus
An octopus found in warm tropical oceans, active, colorful, and well adapted to coral reef ecosystems.
- Cold-Water Octopus
An octopus adapted to cold ocean temperatures, often larger and slower-growing than tropical relatives.
- Warm-Water Octopus
An octopus thriving in warm seas, with faster metabolism and shorter lifespan compared to cold-water species.
- Night Octopus
A nocturnal octopus that hunts after dark, using low light and stealth to capture prey.
Different Types of Octopus with Names in English and Images
20 Types of Octopus with Names in English
- Cave
- Coastal
- Oceanic
- Spotted
- Speckled
- Gray
- White
- Dark
- Pale-Spotted
- Red-Spotted
- Broad-Arm
- Narrow-Arm
- Thick-Arm
- Thin-Arm
- Flat-Body
- Soft-Body
- Hard-Sucker
- Shell
- Tool-Using
- Camouflage
Most Common Octopus Names in English and Pictures
- Cave Octopus
An octopus that shelters in underwater caves and holes, rarely venturing far from its protected home.
- Coastal Octopus
An octopus living near shorelines, often interacting with reefs, rocks, and human activities.
- Oceanic Octopus
An octopus living farther from shore, adapted to open-water or deeper marine environments.
- Spotted Octopus
An octopus displaying spots as part of camouflage or threat displays when stressed.
- Speckled Octopus
An octopus with fine speckle patterns that help it blend into complex backgrounds like gravel and coral.
- Gray Octopus
An octopus using gray tones for camouflage in rocky, shadowed, or deep-water habitats.
- White Octopus
A pale octopus often found in sandy or deep environments where lighter coloration is advantageous.
- Dark Octopus
An octopus with darker skin, aiding camouflage in caves, reefs, and shaded ocean areas.
- Pale-Spotted Octopus
An octopus with light spots that appear when resting or hiding among sand and rocks.
- Red-Spotted Octopus
An octopus showing red spotting, usually as a warning or stress response.
- Broad-Arm Octopus
An octopus with wide arms, useful for gliding, covering prey, or creating protective displays.
- Narrow-Arm Octopus
An octopus with slim arms designed for precise movement and probing small spaces.
- Thick-Arm Octopus
An octopus with muscular arms, offering strength for gripping prey and moving heavy objects.
- Thin-Arm Octopus
An octopus with slender arms, favoring speed and precision over strength.
- Flat-Body Octopus
An octopus with a flatter body shape, allowing it to hide closely against surfaces.
- Soft-Body Octopus
An octopus with very flexible tissue, enabling extreme shape-changing abilities.
- Hard-Sucker Octopus
An octopus with strong suckers, allowing powerful grip on prey and surfaces.
- Shell Octopus
An octopus that lives inside shells for protection rather than dens or rocks.
- Tool-Using Octopus
An octopus known for using objects like shells for shelter and defense.
- Camouflage Octopus
An octopus highly skilled in color, texture, and shape changes to avoid predators.
Most Common Octopus Names in English and Pictures
Learn Octopus Name in English
- Bottom
- Reef-Dwelling
- Sand-Burrowing
- Rock-Dwelling
- Tidepool
- Reef-Edge
- Open-Reef
- Inner-Reef
- Outer-Reef
- Shadow
- Silent
- Fast
- Slow
- Hidden
- Smart
- Ambush
- Coastal Reef
- Deep Reef
- Night Reef
Popular Octopus Names in English and Pictures
- Bottom Octopus
An octopus that lives mainly on the ocean floor rather than swimming freely.
- Reef-Dwelling Octopus
An octopus spending most of its life within coral reef systems.
- Sand-Burrowing Octopus
An octopus that buries itself in sand for protection and ambush hunting.
- Rock-Dwelling Octopus
An octopus living among rocks and cliffs, using crevices as shelters.
- Tidepool Octopus
An octopus surviving in tidepools, adapted to changing water levels and temperatures.
- Reef-Edge Octopus
An octopus living at the boundary of reefs and open sand.
- Open-Reef Octopus
An octopus roaming exposed reef areas rather than hiding deep inside structures.
- Inner-Reef Octopus
An octopus living deep within reef systems for added protection.
- Outer-Reef Octopus
An octopus inhabiting reef edges facing open ocean conditions.
- Shadow Octopus
An octopus preferring dark, shaded environments to remain hidden.
- Silent Octopus
An octopus relying on quiet movement and stealth rather than speed.
- Fast Octopus
An octopus capable of rapid movement to escape predators or chase prey.
- Slow Octopus
An octopus using patience and camouflage instead of speed.
- Hidden Octopus
An octopus spending most time concealed in dens or burrows.
- Smart Octopus
An octopus displaying high intelligence, problem-solving skills, and learning ability.
- Ambush Octopus
An octopus that waits motionless before striking prey suddenly.
- Coastal Reef Octopus
An octopus living where reefs meet coastal zones.
- Deep Reef Octopus
An octopus adapted to lower light levels in deeper reef areas.
- Night Reef Octopus
A reef octopus primarily active during nighttime hours.
Popular Octopus Names in English and Pictures
Learn more helpful articles
