Enteroctopus dofleini, also known as the
giant Pacific octopus or
North Pacific giant octopus, is a large marine
cephalopod belonging to the
genus Enteroctopus. Its spatial distribution includes the coastal
North Pacific, along California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Alaska, Russia, northern Japan, and Korea. It can be found from the
intertidal zone down to 2,000 m (6,600 ft), and is best adapted to cold, oxygen-rich water. It is arguably the largest
octopus species, based on a scientific record of a 71-kg (156-lb) individual weighed live. The alternative contender is the
seven-arm octopus (
Haliphron atlanticus) based on a 61-kg (134-lb) carcass estimated to have a live mass of 75 kg (165 lb). However, a number of questionable size records would suggest
E. dofleini is the largest of all octopus species by a considerable margin.