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20th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Sentimental Semelparity

Two Hawaiian He’e bind together to mate. Octopus are semelparous, so they will mate only once and then die within a couple months. Working on a snorkeling tour, I was freediving around the reef off of the island of Lānaʻi where I met the breeding pair. I stayed and observed from a distance of approximately 15-20’ so I wouldn’t interrupt this important event.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 01.2022
Date Uploaded: 11.2022
Photo Location: Lanai, HA, United States of America
Camera: Canon EOS 80D
Copyright: © Abigail Dahl