Have you ever seen an octopus during your diving or snorkelling adventures? The octopus is truly one of the most amazing creatures in the ocean! There are around 300 different species in the world’s oceans, and they all share some surprising characteristics!
(and just to clarify a point before we go any further, the plural of octopus is octopuses!)
Let’s look at some fun octopus’ facts!
They have multiple hearts:
Three hearts to be specific! Octopuses have two smaller hearts close to the gills that pump oxygen to the main bigger heart. The bigger heart then helps circulate the oxygen rich blood to the body.
They have brains in their tentacles:
The octopuses are smart, but they also have great equipment to do so. At the base of each arm or tentacle they have smaller brains. Their suction cups on the arms have sensors that can send information about touch and taste to these smaller brains. Meanwhile the main brain can concentrate on whichever task is at hand while using the information provided by the others!
They are VERY smart:
Maybe thanks to the above, scientists agree that octopuses are some of the most intelligent creatures in the ocean! Experiments show that they are good at solving problems like opening a container to get food. They also learn from their mistakes and have shown progress when presented with the same puzzle or maze to solve.
They are also able to recognise different humans. Several instances of octopuses in labs or aquariums show that they can take a dislike to a specific person!
They are the chameleons of the seas:
Their camouflage abilities are some of the most impressive in the oceans. Some octopuses species like the mimic octopus not only change colours but will also adopt the shape and posture of another fish to fool predators!
Octopuses are also talented contortionists that can wiggle through the tiniest of space or opening. They are invertebrates, so aside from their beak, the rest of their body is boneless and make them able to slide into very tiny spaces like a beer bottle!
They see with their skin:
As you may have observed before, octopuses can change colour. This is thanks to some cells in their skin. The surprising part is that they are colour-blind, yet they can copy their surroundings to blend in. Recent studies suggest that their skin detects light and somehow colours, allowing them to match the colour and patterns of whatever is nearby to camouflage better.
How to interact with octopuses?
As with any other marine animal, you should not force an interaction or invade the octopus space. However, as said above they are smart creatures and might be curious about you when you are in the water. Aside from the blue ring octopus, which has very strong venom, octopuses present no threat to humans. If they approach you and become a little bit inquisitive, let them control the encounter!
If you want to see a lovely friendship story between a man and an octopus, I recommend the movie "My Octopus Teacher". Photographing them can prove sometimes difficult as they tend to morph in the background! It is easier to take videos if you can (using one of our underwater Iphone case!) so you can see the octopus moving.
Next time you are on a snorkel or dive trip, maybe you’ll get the chance to spot of one these fascinating creatures! While some species are rarer like mimic or blue ring octopuses, you might spot the aptly named “common octopus” that can be seen worldwide.
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