Europa - The Mediterranean Octopus

A common Mediterranean species, the octopus, Octopus vulgaris, illustrates the Europa stamp, the theme of which this year is underwater fauna and flora. The octopus lives mainly at depths between 1 and 25 meters and up to 100 meters in winter, in rocks or in coralligenous reefs, but also in Posidonia meadows or in sandy bottoms, in which it hides in covered with stones. The Mediterranean octopus is endowed with cognitive capacities comparable to those of vertebrates. Camouflage, vision, innovation, deception, learning, memory, are facets of its intelligence. In order to best preserve the species, particularly during the breeding periods from June to September, its capture is prohibited in certain areas of the Mediterranean.