'Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi'
Abstract
The world landings of octopus increased
substantially from 35,800 t in 1950 to 3,17,200 t in
2001 (Jereb et al., 2005). Major species of octopus
that contribute to the world fishery come under the
genera Octopus, Cistopus and Eledone. As many
as 200 species of Octopodidae are known to occur
in the world Oceans (Worms, 1983) of which about
60 are reported from the Indian Ocean (Roper et al.,
1984)