Enteroctopus Dofleini - Lifespan and Reproduction

Lifespan and Reproduction

The giant Pacific octopus is considered to be short-lived for an animal of its size, with lifespans that average only 3-5 years in the wild. To make up for its relatively short life span, the octopus is extremely prolific. It can lay up to 100,000 eggs which are intensively cared for by the females, which die protecting the eggs. Hatchlings are about the size of a grain of rice, and very few survive to adulthood.

During reproduction, the male octopus deposits a spermatophore (or sperm packet) more than a meter long. Large spermatophores are characteristic of octopuses in this genus.