Common Octopus

Photo: jjulio2000 · CC BY-NC

The volcanic rubble between posidonia patches at Arrecife de las Sirenas supports one of the highest octopus densities in the western Mediterranean, and skilled guides can typically find five or more individuals on a single 45-minute dive. Their colour changes while hunting over the boundary between sand and meadow are among the most dramatic macro-photography subjects available in European diving. Autumn is peak activity season when individuals are most actively foraging before winter inactivity reduces sightings.