Opisthoteuthis hardyi

Opisthoteuths hardyi is a lesser-known octopus species. It was described in 2002 from a male caught off the Shag Rocks, which are far south in the Atlantic Ocean near the Falkland Islands.

The specimen was medium-sized, with a mantle of 45 mm long. The whole body was 250 mm long. It had some enlarged suckers, which is typical for male octopuses belonging to Opisthoteuthis. It also had a web connecting its long arms, which is common for cirrate octopuses and some incirrate octopuses.

The specimen was found in the open ocean between 800 m and 1,000 m deep. However, the true depth range is wider. After 2002, dozens more specimens, likely O. hardyi, were discovered on the Patagonian Shelf from 630-1,390 m deep.