Fishermen Catch Unusual Octopus Off San Pedro
SAN PEDRO (CBSLA.com) — An unusual octopus has been caught by fishermen this week a few miles out from Angel's Gate lighthouse in San Pedro.
A female argonaut, also known as a paper nautilus, has been brought to the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, where it is being treated like visiting royalty, according to the Torrance Daily Breeze.
These animals are usually only found in tropical and subtropical seas, the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium said in its Facebook posting, so finding one in Southern California waters indicates unusually warm currents for the season.
Female argonauts produce paper-thin shells that resemble a tiny boat, so they were named after the Argonauts of Greek mythology. They feed mainly on small fish they catch on the surface of the water and can measure up to 18 inches in length.
The baseball-sized animal is being housed in a 4-foot-tall tank and is now on display, the Daily Breeze reports, but her time may not be long. Aquarium officials say no one has ever been able to keep an Argonaut alive in captivity for more than two weeks.
