Activity and movement patterns ofOctopus dofleini

Four individual Octopus dofleini were followed over a fifteen day period in their underwater habitat by sonic tracking. Octopuses had small home ranges (250 m2maximum) which were stable over the two weeks of observation. These ranges overlapped those of other octopuses extensively, and animals did not keep a constant distance from one another, which suggests they were solitary and non‐social. Activity was slightly higher at night, and was not correlated with changes in other environmental variables. The O. dofleini made frequent short hunting trips (mode 0.5 hours), tending to have more and longer excursions at night. Octopuses are predators who appear to have flexible activity and, in the short term, restricted home range areas.