Head to head
Seven-arm Octopus vs Giant Squid
Seven-arm Octopus
VS Giant Squid
Both cephalopods rank among the largest of their kind, but one hides in plain sight while the other has captured the public imagination for centuries.
| Seven-arm Octopus | Giant Squid | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Haliphron atlanticus | Architeuthis dux |
| Classification | An octopus | A squid |
| Size ranking | Among the heaviest octopus species | Among the longest invertebrates, up to 13 m |
| Diet | Feeds heavily on jellyfish | Feeds on deep-sea fish and other squid |
| Distinguishing feature | Conceals an eighth arm in a pouch | Has the largest eyes of any known animal |
| Body | Soft, gelatinous, open-water | Torpedo-shaped mantle with two long feeding tentacles |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Habitat | Ocean | Ocean |
Seven-arm Octopus vs Giant Squid: common questions
Which one hides one of its arms?
The seven-arm octopus is the one that hides an arm, keeping its eighth arm coiled up in a pouch beneath one eye, making it appear to have only seven, a feature the giant squid does not share.
Which one feeds mainly on jellyfish?
The seven-arm octopus feeds substantially on jellyfish and other gelatinous animals, an unusual diet compared with the giant squid, which instead hunts deep-sea fish and other squid.
Which one has famously enormous eyes?
The giant squid is the one with famously enormous eyes, up to 27 centimetres across and the largest known in the animal kingdom, a feature not documented as unusual in the seven-arm octopus.