As many as 200 species of Octopodidae are known to occur in the world Oceans of which about 60 are reported from the Indian Ocean. Catches of octopus in Indian waters mostly occurs along the coast of Lakshadweep, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. Thirty eight commercially important species of Octopus have been reported from the Indian seas. Cistopus indicus which is called the Old-Woman Octopus is the most commonly occurring species.
