Did you know that octopus are related to snails, slugs, clams and oysters? These animals are usually not thought to be remarkably intelligent, and are slow and simple creatures. Unlike their relatives however, octopus possess a remarkable set of abilities that have allowed them to survive in a sea of dangerous predators. In this article, we are going to be digging into some of these amazing skills.
1. They can squeeze through any hole as long as it is larger than its eyeball
Because an octopus has almost no hard parts except for its beak, it can squeeze through incredibly small crevices. This allows it to escape large predators like sharks or dolphins.
2. They are masters of disguise and can quickly change the color and texture of their skin
Octopus have organs called chromatophores that are speckled across the skin of the octopus, which contain tiny pigment filled sacs, similar to balloons filled with different colors of dye. Chromatophores can be black, red or yellow and the pigment sacs are surrounded by radial muscles, which can stretch the sacs to reveal the pigment’s color. Like balloons filled with dye, when stretched, the pigment color appears bright and vibrant, and depending on which sets of sacs the octopus opens or closes, it can produce patterns such as bands, stripes or spots. If it needs to produce colors other than black, red or yellow, the octopus uses another layer of reflective structures in its skin called iridophores. These are stacks of very thin cells that lay beneath the chromatophores that contain a protein called reflectin. Reflectin bounces certain wavelengths of light back out, creating blues and greens that appear to shimmer on the skin of the octopus. And beneath the iridophores lies yet another of reflective tissue called leucophores, which reflect ambient light and usually produce white hues. By combining reflection from the iridophores and leucophores with the correct patterning of the chromatophores, the octopus can create an almost identical copy of its surroundings. But what about changing the texture of their skin? Using a structure called papillae, it can change the texture of its skin, creating ridges and bumps that rise and fall.
3. They are very intelligent
Octopus have been observed using coconut shells as shelter, which requires the ability to plan for the future. They are also fantastic problem solvers. In experiments, they managed to solve mazes and can get themselves in and out of containers. Octopus have also been shown to be able to recognize individual people. Biologists at the Seattle aquarium designed an experiment to test the Giant Pacific Octopus’s recognition abilities. Over the course of two weeks, one keeper fed the octopuses regularly whereas another poked them with a bristly stick. The octopuses behaved differently to the two keepers, despite the fact that they wore identical uniforms.
Hopefully this article taught you a little more about the marvelous octopus!
Sources:
Comments