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 |