1.Key Laboratory of Marine Bio-resources Restoration and Habitat Reparation in Liaoning Province,Dalian Ocean University,Dalian 116023,China;2.School of Life Science and Technology,Dalian Ocean University,Dalian 116023,China;3.Dalian Heshengfeng Marifarm,Dalian 603001,China;4.Dalian Ocean School,Dalian 116023,China
Abstract: The reproductive action and embryonic development of cultured octopus Octopus variabilis were observed.It was found that the octopus as a benthic animal fed primarily on living animals such as crab,shellfish, and shrimp more actively at night and at dusk.Females mated with males in the reproductive season and became calm before spawned.After spawned,generally the females did not feed,and the matured eggs were released in batches and were suspended on the pool wall separately or attached to the attachments.The females took care of the eggs,but not released all of the eggs under culture conditions,the fecundity ranging from 25 to 54 eggs individually,or about 0.8-1.3 eggs/g.The females spawned had the minimal body weight of 32.6 g,and the embryonic development of the octopus can be divided into cleavage stage(disc cleavage),blastula stage,gastrula stage,imaginal disc formation stage,red eye stage,black eye stage and embryo converses stage,lasted for 66 days in sea water before hatching at water temperature of 19-25℃and a salinity of 32-34.
2011, Vol. 26 
