| Callistoctopus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Illustration of Callistoctopus macropus by Comingio Merculiano, 1897 | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Cephalopoda |
| Order: | Octopoda |
| Family: | Octopodidae |
| Genus: | Callistoctopus Iw. Taki, 1964 |
| Type species | |
| Callistoctopus arakawai (accepted as Callistoctopus ornatus) Taki, 1964
| |
| Species | |
|
See text. | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Eledonenta Rochebrune, 1884 | |
Callistoctopus is a genus of nocturnal, orange octopuses in the family Octopodidae.[1] They are readily identifiable by their reddish coloring; the white papillae that line their bodies; and their long tentacles. Though sympatric with diurnal Octopus species, they avoid competition by hunting at night. In acknowledgement of this preference, many species of Callistoctopus are referred to as night octopuses. Well-known species include C. macropus (Atlantic white-spotted octopus) and the type species C. ornatus (ornate octopus), both of which are harvested for human consumption as seafood.