The octopus gets its name from the number of tentacles that is has. Each species has 8 arms which are equipped with “suckers” that grip onto items tightly. Many of the sea monsters that are told in urban legends and the stories of history involve encounters with this creature.
#1. An octopus comes equipped with three hearts. Two of the hearts are used to keep blood circulating past the gills. The other heart is then given the job of making sure the organs of the octopus get the blood that they need. When an octopus swims, its heart will actually stop working, which is why many are seen crawling along the sea floor.
#2. The octopus is a fairly clever animal, but not everyone has seen them in this way over the years of history. Aristotle even once wrote these words: “The octopus is a stupid creature.” Today we understand that an octopus is smart enough to figure out a maze, they’ve been observed taking things apart to have some fun, and each one even has a specific and distinct personality.
#3. A majority of the neural activity for an octopus actually resides in its tentacles. This means a majority of their “brain” isn’t actually in their head. This allows the octopus to multitask better than most other animals. It also means that if the tentacles are severed from the main body, they really can still have a life of their own.
#4. Octopus ink is often thought of as a self-defense mechanism, but it does more than help the animal escape from harm. It is also something that can blind a potential attacker. It even interferes with taste and smell. An octopus that gets trapped in its own ink cloud could actually die from the experience.
#5. The blood of an octopus is based on copper instead of iron. This means their blood is blue instead of red. This allows a more efficient distribution of oxygen through the circulatory process. Unfortunately, this also means the octopus is extremely sensitive to changes in pH and water chemistry.
#6. An octopus never really gets to be a parent. After the mating process is complete, a male octopus just wanders off to die. For the females, their bodies will literally commit suicide after her eggs hatch.
#7. Commercial fishing has reduced octopus populations by an estimated 50% over just the last 50 years. About 270,000 tons of octopus is offered through the import/export process each year.
#8. Octopus suckers stick to a lot of things, but they will not stick to their own skin.
Live Octopus Cams
The octopus is an intelligent and fascinating creature. They quickly adapt to numerous environments and will often take time to explore their surroundings. These webcams make it possible to watch that process at home.
View Oregon State University OctoCam.
View Seattle Aquarium Cam.
Some species of octopus can be quite large. Their intelligence can often be quite surprising as well. These cams let you see how a Giant Pacific Octopus puts its cleverness to good use.