Editing Octopus (section)

===Size===
{{See also |Cephalopod size}}
[[File:North Pacific Giant Octopus.JPG|thumb|A [[giant Pacific octopus]] at Echizen Matsushima Aquarium, Japan|alt=Captured specimen of a giant octopus]]

The [[Enteroctopus dofleini|giant Pacific octopus]] (''Enteroctopus dofleini'') is often cited as the largest octopus species. Adults usually weigh {{convert|10|-|50|kg|lb|abbr=on}}, with an arm span of up to {{convert|4.8|m|ft|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite web|title=Giant Pacific Octopus (''Enteroctopus dofleini'')|url=https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=giantpacificoctopus.main|access-date=22 February 2025|website=Alaska Department of Fish and Game}}</ref> The largest specimen of this species to be scientifically documented reached a live mass of {{convert|71|kg|lb|abbr=on}}.<ref>Cosgrove, J.A. 1987. Aspects of the Natural History of ''Octopus dofleini'', the Giant Pacific Octopus. MSc Thesis. Department of Biology, University of Victoria (Canada), 101 pp.</ref> Much larger sizes have been claimed:<ref name=norman03>Norman, M. 2000. ''Cephalopods: A World Guide''. ConchBooks, Hackenheim. p. 214.</ref> one specimen was recorded as {{convert|272|kg|lb|abbr=on}} with an arm span of {{convert|9|m|ft|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=High |first=William L. |year=1976 |title=The giant Pacific octopus |url=http://spo.nmfs.noaa.gov/mfr389/mfr3893.pdf |journal=Marine Fisheries Review |volume=38 |issue=9 |pages=17–22 |access-date=4 November 2016 |archive-date=23 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170123114633/http://spo.nmfs.noaa.gov/mfr389/mfr3893.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> A carcass of the [[seven-arm octopus]], ''[[Seven-arm octopus|Haliphron atlanticus]]'', weighed {{convert|61|kg|lb|abbr=on}} and was estimated to have had a live mass of {{convert|75|kg|lb|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=O'Shea |first1=S. |year=2004 |title=The giant octopus ''Haliphron atlanticus'' (Mollusca : Octopoda) in New Zealand waters |doi=10.1080/03014223.2004.9518353 |journal=New Zealand Journal of Zoology |volume=31 |issue=1 |pages=7–13 |s2cid=84954869 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=O'Shea |first1=S. |year=2002 |title=''Haliphron atlanticus''&nbsp;– a giant gelatinous octopus |url=http://isopods.nhm.org/pdfs/27566/27566.pdf |journal=Biodiversity Update |volume=5 |page=1 }}</ref> The smallest species is ''[[Octopus wolfi]]'', which is around {{convert|2.5|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} and weighs less than {{convert|1|g|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite web |last=Bradford |first=Alina |date=21 July 2016 |title=Octopus Facts |publisher=Live Science |access-date=26 April 2017 |url=http://www.livescience.com/55478-octopus-facts.html}}</ref>