Ecology Summary - Thaumoctopus mimicus

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Ecology of Thaumoctopus mimicus

Main Ref.	Norman, M.D. and F.G. Hochberg, 2005
Remarks	This octopus often occupies the vacated burrows of other animals. These lairs appear temporary or may form a network of regular lairs within a home range. Individuals were observed to occupy a particular hole for periods of between one to four days. Some individuals were observed to leave one hole at first light, forage throughout the day (including entering and exiting from various animal burrows throughout the day) and remain overnight within the last hole encountered during foraging bouts. These animals were observed to emerge from the same hole at first light the next day (Ref. 96968). Active during the day. Feeds on crustaceans and fishes (Ref. 7940).

Main Ref.

Norman, M.D. and F.G. Hochberg, 2005

Remarks

This octopus often occupies the vacated burrows of other animals. These lairs appear temporary or may form a network of regular lairs within a home range. Individuals were observed to occupy a particular hole for periods of between one to four days. Some individuals were observed to leave one hole at first light, forage throughout the day (including entering and exiting from various animal burrows throughout the day) and remain overnight within the last hole encountered during foraging bouts. These animals were observed to emerge from the same hole at first light the next day (Ref. 96968). Active during the day. Feeds on crustaceans and fishes (Ref. 7940).

Aquatic zones / Water bodies

	Marine - Neritic	Marine - Oceanic	Brackishwater	Freshwater
Marine zones / Brackish and freshwater bodies	supra-littoral zone littoral zone sublittoral zone	epipelagic mesopelagic epipelagic abyssopelagic hadopelagic	estuaries/lagoons/brackish seas mangroves marshes/swamps	rivers/streams lakes/ponds caves exclusively in caves

Highighted items on the list are where Thaumoctopus mimicus may be found.

Habitat

Substrate	Benthic: demersal; Soft Bottom: sand; silt; mud;
Substrate Ref.	Jereb, P., C.F.E. Roper, M.D. Norman and J.K. Finn, 2014
Special habitats	Other habitats: burrows;
Special habitats Ref.	Jereb, P., C.F.E. Roper, M.D. Norman and J.K. Finn, 2014

Associations

Ref.
Associations
Associated with
Association remarks
Parasitism

feeding

Feeding type	mainly animals (troph. 2.8 and up)
Feeding type Ref.	Norman, M.D. and F.G. Hochberg, 2005
Feeding habit
Feeding habit Ref.

Trophic Level(s)

Estimation method	original sample		unfished population		Remark
Estimation method	Troph	s.e.	Troph	s.e.	Remark
From diet composition
From individual food items	3.96	0.65			Trophic level estimated from a number of food items using a randomized resampling routine.
Ref.

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