THE SHALLOW-WATER OCTOPUSES (CEPHALOPODA, OCTOPODIDAE) OF THE PHILIPPINES

The shallow-water octopuses of the Philippines are diagnosed on the ba sis of material collected in a series of expeditions by the Smithsonia n Institution to the region between 1978 and 1990. Twenty species of s hallow-water octopuses are recognised, 18 in the genus Octopus, and on e species each in the genera Hapalochlaena and Cistopus. Three new spe cies are described from Philippine waters: Octopus abaculus, O. noctur nus and O. pumilus. Octopuses reported in the earlier work of G. L. Vo ss on the cephalopod fauna of the Philippines are reviewed and identif ications updated. A diagnostic key and illustrations are provided alon g with information on taxonomy, distribution, aspects of life history and importance in fisheries.