Common octopus

Photo: Roberto Pillon · CC BY-NC

The Steno seagrass and rubble matrix supports exceptional octopus density — local operators report consistent sightings of 3 to 6 individuals per dive in the channel zone. Octopus vulgaris uses Posidonia meadows as hunting grounds, pursuing crabs, bivalves, and small fish through the leaf canopy and retreating to dens in rocky margins when threatened. The species shows remarkable individual personality variation, and long-term divers at Steno report specific resident animals with distinctive behavioural traits and preferred dens that can be reliably relocated across multiple seasons.