The octopods (Octopoda) known mostly as octopuses are an order of carnivorous cephalopod mollusks (marine invertebrates) that lack a shell and have long, strong arms accompanied by sticky suckers. This species is found in all the oceans of the world. There are approximately 100,000 living species of mollusks among which is the octopus. They have a soft body and are characterized by bilateral symmetry.
- Scientific Name: Octopoda
- Class: Cephalopoda
- Subclass: Coleoidea
- Order: Octopoda
- Family: Molluscs
This mollusk has 8 arms that are perhaps the most striking of it. Each arm has numerous sticky suckers, each arm connects with the brain that gives it the orders; all these arms then converge on the part of the body, where the head is, with the mouth, the eyes, the Cerberus, and strikingly three hearts. The reason for this last is that two of these three hearts pump blood to the gills, while the third does it to the rest of the body.
There are octopuses of different sizes since they vary according to the species. One of the smallest, such as the blue-ringed octopus, measures only 15 cm, compared to the giant octopus (the largest octopus in the world) that can reach the incredible length of 9 meters and weigh 27.2 kg. In this species, the male is smaller than the females.
The appearance of the octopus has been sufficient reason to turn it into the antagonist of more than one horror story, both in its original form and in its own versions of fantasy. However, its huge eyes, its eight tentacles, and its great head are not the main reason why this living being stands out, but its most admirable feature is the skill with which it deceives its enemies and escapes from them.
Octopus meat is very popular in several countries. It provides selenium, potassium, phosphorus, iron and vitamin B, among other nutrients. A negative factor from the nutritional point of view, the octopus has a high amount of sodium and cholesterol.
In its dorsal part are the visors as well as the characteristic ink of this mollusk that it uses to escape its predators. This is what is called Jet Propulsion, since to escape spits large amount of water which allows it to escape quickly, generating a cloud of water and ink.
They are able to change shape and color, depending on their condition and use it as a way to prevent their predators. These animals are blue blood due to the hemocyanin molecule that transports oxygen, unlike most species that have hemoglobin.
According to records, it seems that predators such as eels, dolphins, and sharks can completely ignore the presence of an octopus mimicked by their environment, even if they swim past it. But luck is not always on your side; when they discover it, their ace under the sleeve is their characteristic ink, which serves to prevent them from seeing it clearly and diminish the olfactory capacity of their attackers, so that they also find it difficult to follow the trail.
As if all this were not enough, the octopus is capable of swimming at great speed, since it can propel itself through the expulsion of water through its mantle. In addition, given that its body is very flexible, it can enter through cracks and crevices of small size, almost foolishly fooling its robust predators. When caught by one of its tentacles, it can detach itself from it and regenerate it after a while, without this causing irreversible disorders.
They measure up to one and a half meters and weigh approximately 15 kilograms.
Octopuses are animals that are characterized by the great development of their senses, of all of them, less of the ear. They are also very intelligent and known for their ability to learn, due to the high development of their nervous system.
Habitat
The octopus is a mollusk that prefers temperate and tropical climates to live, so it is found in this type of waters around the world.They are usually hidden among rock holes or debris.
Feeding:
The octopus diet is based mainly on algae, fish, clams and small crustaceans such as lobsters, shrimps, and crabs. In the case of the giant octopus, apart from feeding on all of the above, it is capable of attacking a shark or a bird that is near water.
In order to feed, it emerges in some cases on the surface of the earth and moves its arms like a worm to attract small mollusks and crustaceans. Another form of hunting is to directly slide on its prey and sink its head, precisely its beak-shaped mouth, inside the animal shell.
The octopus has several very effective tactics to save its life when it is attacked by its predators, either avoiding the encounter or frustrating the attempts of others. His most remarkable technique is to hide without leaving the scene, in front of the eyes of the enemy; thanks to the network of specialized muscles and pigment cells of his skin, he is able to blend almost instantaneously with his surroundings, fitting into the shapes and imitating the colors and textures of the elements that surround him.
Reproduction:
The octopuses are semélparos, that is to say, they have a single reproductive event in all their life.
The third right arm of the male is used as a copulatory organ since it is introduced into the cloaca of the female to deposit the spermatophores. Once fertilized, the male moves away and abandons the female.
It can reach 150,000 eggs. While the eggs hatch, the female takes care of them without feeding, and after a month, when the new octopuses are born, this female dies because of hunger.
Funny fact. Aristotle thought that octopuses were foolish: Aristotle's observations made him conclude that octopuses were not very intelligent, but now we know they are able to navigate mazes, solve problems and find solutions and even take things just for fun, besides that they can predict the results of the World Cup ... well, at least one could.
References
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octopus
- https://a-z-animals.com/animals/octopus/
- https://sciencing.com/type-animal-octopus-8403441.html
- https://www.livescience.com/55478-octopus-facts.html
- https://octopusenrichment.weebly.com/background.html
- http://www.thepopjar.com/cool/how-octopuses-have-sex/
