Wanted: Wunderpus photographs 
Last Update: 26 April 2010 08:10 PM
Author: Sterling Zumbrunn ( sterlingz )
Related Link: Wunderpix
Crissy Huffard, Conservation International‘s Raja Ampat monitoring specialist and cephalopod expert extraordinaire, wants to use photographs to study Wunderpus. This is your chance to contribute your photos for the purposes of scientific research.
What will the pictures be used for?
Wunderpus is one of the most popular animals divers seek in muck, yet almost everything about their lives remains a mystery. We do not know how rare they are, how large an area they roam, or how long they live. Their rarity and their small size have made them especially difficult to study in the past.
We are currently tracking Wunderpus in the wild using photo identification. Just like whales, dolphins, manta rays, and whale sharks, each Wunderpus photogenicus has a unique body color pattern. When we compare multiple photographs of the same animal, taken at different times and places, we can learn about their migration patterns, population density, and behavior.
What information is needed?
1. Clear photographs of Wunderpus photogenicus taken from above.
2. Date each photo was taken
3. Dive site (such as Aer Perang) and country where each photo was taken. GPS if available.
4. Additional information (depth, what it was doing, was it at its den or actively foraging, any
conspicuous landmarks nearby)
5. Copyright information
How do I contribute?
Email pictures and information to
Is this a commercial use?
No. We intend only to use these photographs for research. If we ever wish to post or publish your image, we will contact you for permission. Additionally, we will never give out your personal information.
Where can I find more information?
1. Visit the website.
2. Read the paper (freely available on the web): Individually unique body color patterns in octopus (Wunderpus photogenicus) allow for photoidentification by Christine L. Huffard, Roy L. Caldwell, Ned DeLoach, David Wayne Gentry, Paul Humann, Bill MacDonald, Bruce Moore, Richard Ross, Takako Uno, Stephen Wong
3. Feel free to with questions, comments, or stories about Wunderpus or any other octopuses.
Thank you!
Christine Huffard, Ph.D. Cephalopod Biologist
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