Pacific giant octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini) Enteroctopus dofleini, the Pacific giant octopus, is found in the Pacific Ocean from California to Alaska to Japan and several subspecies are known.
Mature giant octopuses are commonly found in the 10-15 kg range although one specimen weighted 272 kg and measured 9.6 meters arm to arm.
These large cephalopods are thought to live for 3-5 years at temperatures around 10°C.
Females lay hundreds of thousands of eggs which they brood for approximately 6 months. As with most octopuses, the female dies as the eggs start to hatch. The small (22 mg) hatchlings spend the first part of their life in the plankton.
