Body variable in color, upper surface generally dark gray, brown, red or olive, lower surface lighter in color. Low inter-tidal to 50m. Santa Barbara, CA to La Paz, Mexico. Mollusks, Crustaceans and occasionally small fishes such as Blennies and juveniles of some species such as scorpion fish.
Females lay eggs in spring and summer.
Thousands of egg capsules are deposited, their long stalks in twisted cords. Females guard their egg strings and carefully clean them during the 1-2.5 months required for development. Upon hatching, the young pass through a short planktonic stage before settling to the bottom. Toxic secretions of the posterior salivary gland are injected into prey. After poisoning its prey, the octopus holds it while flooding the prey s body with digestive enzymes.