Clawed enope squid vs common Atlantic octopus

Abraliopsis felis compared with Octopus vulgaris

Key Differences

• Clawed enope squid is Least Concern while common Atlantic octopus is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Clawed enope squid	common Atlantic octopus
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Mollusca (Mollusks)	Mollusca (Mollusks)
Class same	Cephalopoda (Cephalopods)	Cephalopoda (Cephalopods)
Order	Oegopsida (Oegopsida)	Octopoda (Octopuses)
Family	Enoploteuthidae	Octopodidae (Common Octopuses)
Genus	Abraliopsis	Octopus (Octopuses)
Species	Abraliopsis felis	Octopus vulgaris

Evolutionary Relationship

Clawed enope squid and common Atlantic octopus share a common ancestor at the Class level: Cephalopoda. (Cephalopods)

Conservation Status

Clawed enope squid

LC — Least Concern

common Atlantic octopus

NE — Not Evaluated

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Clawed enope squid	common Atlantic octopus
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	2 years
Average Length	—	60 cm
Average Weight	—	5.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Clawed enope squid

common Atlantic octopus

Habitat

Typically found in diverse ecosystems where prey species are available.

Range

Distributed across Chile, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden.

Clawed enope squid

The Clawed Enope Squid, Ancistrocheirus lesueurii, is a medium-sized oceanic squid in the family Ancistrocheiridae found in mesopelagic and bathypelagic zones of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. It is the sole species in its family, representing a phylogenetically isolated lineage of deep-sea squids. The species is characterized by powerful, hook-bearing tentacles used to capture prey, an adaptation reflected in its common name. The mantle is muscular and elongated, bearing lateral fins, and the arms bear suckers modified into sharp hooks in adults. Ancistrocheirus lesueurii performs diel vertical migrations, ascending toward the surface at night and retreating to deeper waters during daylight hours. It is a voracious predator of fish and other squids, and is in turn preyed upon by sperm whales, large pelagic fishes, and sharks. Bioluminescent photophores are present on the body and arms, likely functioning in counterillumination or signaling. As a mesopelagic species distributed throughout major ocean basins, the Clawed Enope Squid contributes significantly to vertical carbon transport in marine ecosystems, processing organic material from surface waters and redistributing it at depth. Population status is unknown; the species has not been assessed by IUCN. It is occasionally recovered in the stomach contents of top predators and from deep-sea trawl surveys.

common Atlantic octopus

One of the most studied invertebrates in neuroscience and behavioral biology, common octopuses inhabit rocky reefs and seafloors in tropical and temperate coastal waters globally. Highly intelligent with distributed nervous systems — two-thirds of their 500 million neurons reside in their arms — they demonstrate tool use, problem-solving, and individual personalities. Masters of camouflage, they change skin color and texture in milliseconds. They have three hearts, blue copper-based blood, and extremely short lifespans of 1–2 years.