This paper reports, for the first time, the existence of external digestion
of decapod larvae by the common octopus, Octopus vulgaris (Mollusca: Cepha
lopoda), paralarvae. Zocae of three crab species were externally digested,
leaving a whole and empty exoskeleton. The attack sequence on these prey is
also described, and divided int the same three phases (attention, position
ing and seizure) already known for Sepia hatchlings.