About This Project

Octopuses have color changing skin, which is important for camouflage, communication, and species identification. Yet, many octopus species have similar color patterns and live in the same areas, making them hard to identify. These similar looking yet genetically different species are called cryptic species. I'm unraveling the DNA of a cryptic octopus in Florida to reveal its identity- Octopus vulgaris or Octopus americanus. This work has implications for documenting marine biodiversity.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

Octopus vulgaris was long considered a global, cosmopolitan species. Yet, scientists questioned this classification since geographical barriers between populations prevented them from sharing genes (1). Molecular tools have allowed scientists to ask: O. vulgaris: cosmopolitan or complex? Through genetics, O. vuglaris has been discovered to represent several species comprising a hard-to-discern cryptic species group called the O. vulgaris Species Complex (2)! It doesn’t stop there- A recent study proposed to reinstate the name of the western Atlantic O. vulgaris to O. americanus (3). There's just one caveat; Florida’s O. vulgaris has never undergone genetic study! This project uses genetics to determine if this name change is appropriate for Florida’s Octopus.

What is the significance of this project?

It is very difficult to tell cryptic octopus species apart, which leads to octopuses being widely misidentified. This will be the first study to genetically identify this cryptic species in Florida. The findings will be compared to other genetic reports of the same species to determine an accurate geographic range. Knowing what species inhabit certain coastlines and environments is important for biodiversity and population dynamics. Octopuses play a crucial role as “the middle guy” in many marine food webs, keeping food webs in balance. Once we know who’s who in the octopus world, we can start accurately identifying what resources (habitat and food) are needed for species conservation and answering evolutionary biology questions. Did you know cephalopods are older than dinosaurs?

What are the goals of the project?

This project is using genetic sequencing to identify the cryptic octopus species in Florida. Previously, a specific set of genes (16S & COI) were used to identify animal species- similar to having a unique fingerprint. However, these genes could yield conflicting results for cryptic octopus species. In case of this, my project will use both the 16S & COI genes, and an understudied gene (Rho) to identify this cryptic species. The information from these genes will be input into computational software to construct phylogenetic trees- like a family tree you may build with your siblings and cousins. These trees will reveal the identity of Florida's Octopus and its relationship to other octopuses. If we fund our stretch goal, we can sequence its full genome, opening doors for more research!