Octopus
Octopuses are eight-legged sea creatures known for their intelligence and unique abilities to manipulate the shape and color of their boneless bodies.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Cephalopoda
Superorder: Octopodiformes
Order: Octopoda
Species: Approximately 300 species, a majority of which are found in the family Octopodidae.
Common Name: Octopus
In the wild, octopuses are experts at camouflage, able to manipulate their bodies to create texture and color patterns, disguising themselves as rocks, or flashing distracting color patterns to confuse predators.
Almost all species of octopus are predators, eating a wide variety of prey including crustaceans, worms, molluscs and fish.
When threatened, octopuses can expel a thick mixture of ink and mucus, which clouds the water and allows the octopus to escape.
Octopuses typically have short lifespans, with the male typically dying after mating, while the female typically dies after her eggs hatch. Once the eggs hatch, most baby octopuses are extremely tiny, and mix with plankton as they drift through the ocean, unable to propel themselves. Eventually they settle to the sea floor and develop into adulthood. Some species that produce larger eggs will hatch octopuses that more closely resemble adults, and do not go through the planktonic stage of development.
Octopuses are soft-bodied invertebrates with eight limbs, each covered on the underside with sticky suction cups that they use for grasping. A sharp, parrot-like beak is located on the underside of the animal where the limbs converge.
An octopus’s body can assume many different shapes, allowing the octopus to camouflage itself, or fit within very narrow passageways. A structure called a siphon is used to both help the octopus breathe, and propel it forward by shooting jets of water.
The largest octopus species is the giant Pacific octopus, which can grow to have an arm span of nearly 15 feet, and weigh over 150 pounds in rare cases. Some claims indicate it may grow much larger, to 30 feet across. The smallest octopus species grows only about one inch long, and weighs less than one gram.
All octopuses possess venom, but few are dangerous to humans. The blue-ringed octopus, found in the Indo-Pacific Ocean, is one of the most toxic animals alive, and its venomous bite is very dangerous to humans.
Most people believe the plural form of “octopus” is “octopi”, but the actual standard pluralization is “octopuses”, though sometimes “octopodes” is used. The word “octopus” comes from Ancient Greek, where “octo” means eight, and “pus” means foot, referring to the number of limbs the creature possesses.
Octopuses have a cultural significance in Hawai'an creation myths, and in the folklore of the indigenous Ainu people of Asia. The mythical creature known as the Kraken has historically been depicted as a monstrous octopus, though it may have been inspired by sightings of the related giant squid.
Due to their secretive nature and wide ranging habitats including the deep sea region, very little is known about many octopus species. Though exact conservation data is difficult to determine, it is known that they are sensitive to ocean pollution.
Octopuses are very intelligent, and have been shown to use tools in some cases, such as the veined octopus which constructs a shelter out of coconut shells. In captive environments, octopuses have been shown to exhibit problem-solving skills, observational learning and long-term memory.
They are also known to engage in play and recreational behavior, and are masters of escaping their tanks. One captive octopus, named Otto, had been trained by aquarium workers to shoot water jets at visitors. Eventually, Otto figured out that he could shoot water jets at the lights in the room where his tank was located, which shorted out electrical systems. Scientists believe Otto was doing this to get attention and alleviate boredom.
References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octopus
https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96476905
https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Invertebrates/Octopuses
Safari Ltd Octopus Toys:
Incredible Creatures Giant Pacific Octopus Figure
Wild Safari Sea Life Octopus Figure (Orange)
Wild Safari Sea Life Octopus Figure (Green)
192 Piece Good Luck Minis Octopus Mini Figure
Coral Reef TOOB Set with Octopus Mini Figure