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Bimacs encompass a few different octofolk species. In the West, you have the spotted bimacs, similar to other octofolk of their area but differentiated by significantly splotchy coloring and large, black and iridescent blue ocelli on the mantle. They range from mid-sized to on the larger side, and there are significant differences in the structure and shape of the ocellus of these species depending on location. Ocelli are quite the popular adaptation for a number of seafolk and especially octofolk, as their position on the mantle may fool predators attempting to ambush from behind into thinking their prey is facing them.

In the East, you have striped bimacs, fittingly named for the bold stripes displayed in warning patterns. Eastern bimacs are smaller and more lightweight than those in the West, with sizes closer to the veined octofolk than the average inkfolk. They are also close relatives to both the veined octofolk as well as each other, and not so closely related to the Western bimacs (nor the Day Octopus, an honorary bimac which also occupies the same territory). Gold-ringed bimacs live in the middle of the desert reef and have mostly their environment to thank for a relative lack of predation. Their smaller relative, the poison bimac, is more common in the tropical kelp forests where its highly toxic bite is often enough to drive away predators.

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family or whatever

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my partner is a beast (and that's awesome)

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People might look at you, but do they actually see you?

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The reef octopus is a peculiar type of octofolk found only in the hot reefs of the Western Continent. It is a small and slender species of octofolk with long limbs and extremely long crown tentacles, sporting the deepest webbing of any non-cirrate octofolk. It uses its crown tentacles for scanning crevices within the reef and terrain for prey, a process in which it is one of the most efficient among inkfolk. This efficiency is more or less mandatory in an environment which may cook one alive during the day and chill you into oblivion once the sun has set, coupled with a difficult geographical location surrounded by concentrations of larger predators that would love nothing more than an easy octopus snack...

The reef octopus is specialized for the hot, arid reef environment that it lives in, and has an extremely small range among inkfolk. As a species on the smaller and not particularly agile side, it depends on its inhospitable environment to evade most predators which avoid the lethal temperatures of the dry reef. The reef octopus itself copes with the extreme flux of temperature by spreading out its massive tentacles and webs to selectively capture heat or cool itself off, or by withdrawing its webbing and rolling its tentacles up to minimize heat loss. In a pinch, it can surrender a tentacle to a predator and escape unscathed with more than enough left to work with. Its coloring and appearance are also quite unique among octofolk, with extremely small, fine papillae and vivid, iridescent blues primarily reflected in its webs.

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Bluerings are octofolk of the Eastern Continent. They are easily distinguished by the iridescent ring patterns speckled around their bodies. These patterns can come in various shapes from near-perfect circles to small spots, lines, chain-like patterns or miscellaneous shapes, but will stay more or less the same for each individual throughout their life. The patterns of bluerings are also unique on an individual level, meaning you will likely never run into two with even a similar pattern.

Bluerings as a group are some of the most genetically diverse inkfolk, with the classification constituting a continent-wide species complex. They are the smallest of all inkfolk, with an upper height limit of about 1,5 meters, and most individuals not growing larger than 1,3. Bluerings are famous for their extremely potent, neurotoxic venom which is capable of triggering respiratory arrest in most other sapients in near trace amounts. Their iridescent rings contrasted with bright and vibrant warning colors advertise this fact, and with a weapon like this, they don't particularly need the defense of size to compete.

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The term "littlejaw" is used as a catch-all for the smaller species of fangfolk that average less than 2 meters average height. Most, in fact, measure 1,7 meters or less, of course without counting the tail.

Longtails (A) are the oldest type of fangfolk and the first landsharks to emerge in the far past. This early success isn't particularly well-reflected in their numbers; longtails are small, and their range is similarly relatively small, confined mainly to the mountain ranges of the Eastern Continent - they are outcompeted or heavily preyed on in most other habitats. They have exceptional tolerance for low oxygen, allowing them to inhabit extremely high altitudes where predators can't follow them, and they tend to live fairly leisurely lives as a result. These fangfolk are considered harmless to other sapients and mainly prey on invertebrates. Notably, they are known to chew their food, which is not particularly common, let alone in fangfolk.

Roundfins (B) are quite closely related to the longtails, as is reflected in a similarly rounded face shape and the presence of nasal barbels. They also have similarly long tails, though shorter than those of their cousins. Roundfins are differentiated by, you guessed it - their rounded dorsal fins. They are reef dwellers, preying on invertebrates and carrion and also considered harmless to other sapients. Their anatomy quite well illustrates their burrowing lifestyle; groups of roundfins will live in interconnected dens and huddle together over cold periods. Among fangfolk they are by far the most diverse and ornamental, with populations worldwide ranging from blotched to striped, banded, spotted and even chain-patterned morphotypes.

Spurfins (C) are active hunters and the bane of lower trophic levels worldwide. They are cunning pack hunters that can hunt in schools with dozens of individuals; enough to terrorize and overwhelm towns and settlements in the long past with ease. Spurfins prey on a wide variety of things, but are known to actively hunt sapients on occasion, and they have been historically widely feared in this regard due to their concentrated group attacks being far more lethal and successful than the occasional one from a larger fangfolk. In coloration, they are fairly uniform across the globe with varying shades of greys or browns, usually with spots or freckling. These fangfolk get their name from the venomous spines in their dorsal fins; a trait also shared by wild spurdogs, their close relatives.

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The day octopus is a medium-large species of tropical octofolk. These octofolk are easily distinguished by long limbs which darken towards the tips, two dark eye-spots on the mantle, and white rows of dots on the limbs. It is unusual among octofolk in that it is almost strictly day active. In relation to this, the color displays and patterns on this species are more complex than those of most octofolk, and their color vision is much more refined.

While this species has dark ocelli on its mantle, it is usually excluded from the bimacs (ocellated octofolk). When included, it is sometimes referred to as the "giant bimac". This is despite the fact that the day octopus isn't actually particularly large compared to most other octofolk; it simply has significantly longer limbs and crown tentacles than most in comparison to the rest of its body. The day octopus is reportedly among the first to have established cross-species relations and societies with finfolk, namely groupers.

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Groupers are large, predatory finfolk that are well famous for their large and robust jaws. While not built for speed or chase, they are cunning pack hunters that will ambush or corral prey, or even hunt cooperatively with other species. Unlike other predators which mainly tear their prey into pieces using their teeth, groupers employ the strategy of swallowing prey whole and crushing it with plates inside of the pharynx.

Groupers generally live in shoals of a handful of individuals that are led by an alpha. Functionally, these are harems with one larger grouper that fathers the offspring of all the others, and the children will be part of the shoal until old enough to head out and join their own. Grouper cultures generally do not employ a concept of gender as some other cultures do due to their protogynous nature, though through the lens of global societies' gender norms, they tend to identify as an all-female folk.

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damn this kelp is getting wild... WRONG. That's also an octopus.

The longarm has many names, but the commonly used one probably best accentuates what makes these octofolk stand out. The longarm has arms more than double the length of its legs, and even longer head tentacles. It is the only species of octofolk that actually uses its head tentacles functionally for active locomotion rather than primarily as decorative.

The longarm is a quite small and fragile octofolk, and it's far from strong, especially considering the myriad of much larger octofolk that cohabitate the Southern Eastern Continent with it. Some say it is the first octofolk species to have become terrestrial, and it is definitely the first - and only - one to have become arboreal. To avoid predation and competition for the invertebrates it uses as food, the longarm primarily hangs out up in the upper branches of kelp forests and sports a mottled, green or brown coloration to blend in with its surroundings. It is also unusual for inhabiting mountain ranges in its habitat, with a high tolerance for low oxygen levels (although little to no tolerance for the temperature drops at truly high elevations).

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The gloomy octopus is a common species of octofolk in the Eastern Continent. It is sometimes considered as part of the common octopus grouping, however it is quite distinctly differentiated by distinctive color displays, habitat preferences, and social behavior. It gains its name from the signature dark eye patches and typical colorations that feature a dark head, which can make them register as moody to other octofolk. This type of coloration is in fact generally mood-neutral to this species.

Gloomy octopuses are the most social among octofolk, more comparable to squidfolk than other octofolk in this matter. They have had complicated social hierarchies and relationships ever since before the rise of seafolk sapience. It has been proven many times over that the first buildings, cities and kingdoms rose in societies of these octofolk.

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The veined octopus is a tropical species of octofolk that's pretty accurately named after the dark, vein-like patterns that line the skin. It's also in the running for the most beautiful species of inkfolk on account of their extremely vibrant color displays, featuring these octopuses' iridescent suckers contrasted against deep maroon and black with bright yellow undertones.

The veined octopus is fairly small and less robust than the average octofolk. As a result, they have plenty of predators in the wild, and just bark with no bite doesn't always go far enough to have results. Conveniently, the veined octopus is one of the craftiest octofolk species, having pioneered both tool use as well as being credited as the first to utilize shells and carapaces for use as armor - potentially before sapience ever evolved in inkfolk. Without question, societies with these octofolk as a majority component were the first ones to see clothing and shell-built armor being crafted and worn.

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what the fuck happened to boy

last year was a Fucking mess

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Inkfolk often use rapid color change to communicate emotions (either voluntarily or, in many cases, involuntarily), though color (mainly, lack thereof) can also communicate poor health or illness.

Some people are easier to read than others...

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MORE SUGAR MEANS MORE HAPPY. WHAEEY! final attack for my beloved bestie @skuitti

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(This post is sponsored by Hormone Replacement Therapy)

Sexual dimorphism is pretty vague in inkfolk... while the above image can be referenced across basically all species, you'll find it's not really clear-cut applicable for most. The size differences in particular tend to be most prominent in octofolk, whereas squidfolk generally have less size dimorphism (and no papillae, so those can't be used for reference, either). The colors and patterns in the crown tentacles continue to be the most reputable way to tell apart gender at a glance, but even still the display of patterns is largely cultural and down to self-expression, so it's hardly foolproof. And at the end of the day, size and other traits on an individual level are largely determined by genetics...

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Reefjaws are top predators in the dry reefs around the globe. They are remarkably social fangfolk that will travel the reef in small packs to sniff out prey hiding within the sand and corals. Their mostly streamlined bodies and large fins with a relatively small body size make them well-resistant to the searing heat, and they will spend colder nights huddling together for warmth in a burrow. Reefjaws are split into three types; whitetips, blacktips and greys, but may occasionally crossbreed and share a common name.