Atol das Rocas: an oasis for Octopus insularis juveniles (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae)

The habitat, population density, distribution and diet of Octopus insularis Leite & Haimovici, 2008 were studied in the Atol das Rocas Biological Reserve, based on visual census carried out in fixed quadrants. For each octopus den, we collected data on octopus size, substrate, type of den, and food remains around it. A total of 100 octopus dens were found within the fixed quadrants. The highest density occurred at Mapas area (0.30 inds/100 m²) and the lowest at Crista Algálica (0.07 inds/100 m²). The preferred den type was the one on the reef bed (69%), reinforcing the importance of rocky s...