Species profile

New Zealand Octopus

Macroctopus maorum

Imported from iNaturalist auto-ID.

2
Encounters
Distinct dive records
1
Location
8 media records
Trips
Latest 29 Mar 2025
New Zealand Octopus hero image
Encounter archive

Field notes

Encounter profile

Imported from iNaturalist auto-ID.

Macroctopus maorum - Macroctopus maorum is known more commonly as the Maori octopus or the New Zealand octopus. It is found in the waters around New Zealand and southern Australia. M. maorum is one of the largest and most aggressive octopus species living in the New Zealand and Australian waters. They feed mainly on crustaceans and fish. Although they have a short life span, the females lay thousands of eggs and are very protective of them.

Highlights

Key encounters

A curated entry point into the archive before the full record below.

Archive

All encounters

4 images