hunts the cold dark depths

Size
Length: 1–2 m
Lifespan
Unknown, likely several years.
Diet
Carnivorous. Feeds on crustaceans and fish in deep-sea darkness.
Habitat
Deep continental shelf and slope waters, typically between 200 and 1000 metres depth.
Range
New Zealand continental shelf and slope, in deep cold waters around the country.
Endemism
Endemic
Main Threats
Bycatch in deep-sea trawl fisheries operating on continental shelf and slope.
Population
Population stable. Deep-water habitat offers protection from most human activities.
Conservation Status
data_deficient
Human Risk
harmless
Handling Note
deep-water species rarely encountered by recreational fishers
Conservation Note
Cephalopod species not included in the 2021 NZTCS marine invertebrates assessment; conservation status currently unassessed nationally.
Te Ao Māori
The southern keeled octopus is not well-known in Māori culture due to its deep-water habitat. However, as a native endemic species, it is part of the broader marine taonga that iwi seek to protect. Its presence highlights the importance of sustainable fisheries management for the entire marine ecosystem.
Its skin is rough, covered in small keels that give it a textured appearance. Muusoctopus maorum is the southern keeled octopus, one of the largest octopus species in the world. It lives in the cold, deep waters of the continental shelf and slope, typically between 200 and 1000 metres. Unlike its shallow-water cousins, it is rarely seen by humans. Most knowledge comes from trawl bycatch in deep-sea fisheries. It is a robust creature, with a heavy body and strong arms. It feeds on crustaceans and fish, hunting in the darkness of the deep. Little is known about its behaviour or life cycle. It likely lays large eggs in protected dens, as do other large octopuses. The deep sea is a stable environment, with constant temperatures and pressures. This stability may allow for slower growth and longer lifespans. The southern keeled octopus is a reminder of how much we do not know about our own oceans. It lives in the shadows, unseen and unstudied. Yet it is a vital part of the deep-sea ecosystem, connecting energy from the surface to the depths. It carries on in the cold. And that seems to be enough. The numbers are stable in deep waters.