Until recently, the most evasive life history parameter for wild
exploited octopus populations has been age information
(Cuccu
et al. 2013: Vaz-Pires et al., 2004). Without age data. all estima
controversially reside on assumptions made on the age
relationship of octopuses (Semmens et al
2004). This has been
particularly pressing for merobenthic species (e.g. O. vulgaris, Octo
pus mimus, Enteroctopus dofleini), where the ability to verify ageing
techniques has been hindered by the complexities of raising pal
alarvae in captivity