| Animal | Octopus |
| Scientific Name | Octopoda |
| Type | Invertibrates |
| Diet | Carnivore |
| Lifespan | Unknown |
| Size | 0.01 – 9.1 m |
| Weight | Max 272.1 kg |
| Phylum | Mollusca |
| Conservation status | Not Extinct |
In total, there are three-hundred known species of octopi. They can be found in all oceans around the world and the majority live in the seabed, although not all of them do. Some other species live near the water surface.
Diet & Predators
Octopi found at the bottom of the ocean eat polychaete worms, crustaceans, and other mollusks too. Octopi that live near the surface eat fish and prawns. Natural predators of them include whales, seals, and large fish.
Intelligence
These sea creatures are very smart. The octopi have hundreds of suckers on their eight arms which each move by themselves because of all the neurons behaving similarly to the brain. This allows them to smell, touch, and hold items. This is also how they can open clamshells.
Octopi are fully aware of when they are held in captivity at an aquarium, unlike many other fish species. An octopus named Otto at an aquarium in Germany squirted water at light switches in order to cause confusion and panic in people for its own entertainment.
Self-Defense
Octopi are excellent at blending into their surroundings when they are trying to avoid predators. They can change their color and texture, so it can stay hidden without actually having to find a hiding spot. When feeling threatened, they can shoot water through their siphon, a muscular tube, and release large amounts of black ink. They can regrow lost arms.
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References:
- Octopus Facts on National Geographic – https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/group/octopus-facts/
- Octopus on Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octopus
- 2008, The Story Of An Octopus Named Otto on NPR – https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96476905
- Godfreysmith P., 2017, Octopuses: playful, choosy and smarter than you think on Science Focus – https://www.sciencefocus.com/nature/octopuses-playful-choosy-and-smarter-than-you-think/
- Octopus on National Geographic – https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/octopus/
