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04-03-2007, 02:57 PM
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Octopus Facts
If you are looking for octopus facts then this is where you need to be. We have lots of octopus facts, but you can also add your own.
An octopus has eight arms, a large bulbous head and large eyes
It's a fact that the octopus has a very good capacity for learning and has been shown to develop skills during tests. In fact, some people believe that An octopus is probably about as intelligent as a cat. 
The octopus is an expert in camouflage, as it can change colour to blend in with its surroundings. in fact, the octopus doesn't just change colour. It completely changes its appearance and can match the texture and patterns of the surrounding objects.
You may already know that if an octopus is in danger it will usually release a cloud of black ink to obscure a predator's view of it. But did you know, the fact that the ink also contains a chemical that weakens the predator's sense of smell.
Did you know that one of the more incredible facts about an octopus is that even a fully grown adult can squeeze through the whole that is no bigger than a large coin.
When an octopus needs to move quickly it can dart off by expelling water through its mantles
If you know anymore octopus facts, please add them here |
05-03-2007, 07:39 PM
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As well as being very tasty, the whole family of cephalopods (including octopuses) is very interesting. Their colour-changing abilities are useful for camouflage as mentioned but also allow communication between individuals. Cephalopod
Cephaolopods may actually be as intelligent as mammals ....
Last edited by paul m; 08-04-2008 at 10:06 AM.
Reason: typo
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14-03-2007, 06:30 PM
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There is a species of Octopus, I think called the Mimic Octopus, which can move it's legs in different ways to mimic other sea creatures, and they are pretty impressive mimics! Creatures that they are known to mimic include Sea Snakes, Stingrays and Blennys as well as lots of others.
Also, the small Blue-Ringed Octopus which is found on tropical coral reefs, I think around Australia, can kill a human with it's bite.
Guy
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28-06-2007, 04:45 PM
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apparently even the biggest ones can squeeze through a garden hosepipe  |
25-09-2007, 06:47 AM
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Hello StuartDH,
Thanks for your Octopus Facts.You mind sharing that on splashvision.com.I have seen a lot of videos related to Water Animals on SPLASHVISION. COM, I would suggest you guys to have a look over there and know more about Water Animals and Octopus.
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09-01-2008, 03:52 PM
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Octopi have 3 hearts and there are two types that can 'walk' on two of their tenticles; the Octopus marginatus and Octopus aculeatus. I also believe that males can take the female form to attract females.
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09-01-2008, 03:58 PM
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Octopus - travel methods and great deal of other information.
including
Octopus - Species
is a very good site.
Amused to see that Octopus Travel is advertising with them - makes you wonder how they decided on their name
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Last edited by paul m; 09-01-2008 at 03:59 PM.
Reason: typo
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11-01-2008, 10:47 AM
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Thanks Black - a great "feel good" story! I wonder where the inspiration for a Mr. Potato Head came from when they were looking for a toy for Louis?
BTW, I never realised what beautiful creatures they are.
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11-01-2008, 06:35 PM
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Cuttlefish are my favourite type of octopoid (let's stick with cephalopod then   ). They use their colour changes not only for camouflage or warning but actually to communicate with their mates (whichever way you interpret that  ). I think the best bit of wildlife television I ever saw was an Attenborough sequence showing cuttlefish 'talking' to each other by colour changes.
Cuttlefish or Sepias (Sepia officinalis)
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12-01-2008, 06:40 PM
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When I've been on holiday to the Mediterranean islands I've come across a few Octopuses (Octopi?) while I've been snorkelling, they're amazing creatures to watch.
Also I spotted a Cuttlefish hiding in the sand off one of the greek islands, when I dived down to get a closer look it zoomed off leaving a little squirt of ink behind!
Guy
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02-04-2008, 04:49 PM
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A new research on octopi behaviour, which was done on wild Abdopus aculeatus (a small species, with tentacles of a maximum 25 cm.) off the coast of Indonesia, has shown that in captivity they live completely differently than wild ones:
Wild octopi have a very human-like lovelife; they flirt with each other, hold tentacles, get jealous and any other octopus that comes too close to ones beloved is strangled!
The fat females are the most populair with the males! (They are the most fertile.)
~*~Frostfire~*~
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02-04-2008, 08:54 PM
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When my family used to live on the islands, we'd watch the fishermen bring in octopuses that they'd caught. From what I remember, they'd poke a piece of stick into an octopus hole and wait for one to grab it. Then they'd pull it and the octopus out, later to cook as a delicacy or everyday food. Once the octopus was out of the water it turned a splotchy white. 
~Joe 
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04-04-2008, 01:58 PM
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Octopuses tentacles can split and heal as two tentacles. As a result of this feature an octopus was discovered with 96 tentacles. |
06-04-2008, 03:33 AM
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the deep sea monster lives! lol, cool fact Coley!
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07-04-2008, 11:43 AM
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That would solve the worlds hunger problems. Tentacle soup anyone? |
07-04-2008, 05:34 PM
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*Shivers* I'll pass!
Octopus have a body part that sounds like a bird's body part. They have what are called 'beaks', and they're knife-like sharp. The size of the beak differs in octopus size.
Cutlery anyone? 
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08-04-2008, 08:43 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Coley
That would solve the worlds hunger problems. Tentacle soup anyone? |
I was rummaging through my photo collection looking for an ancient print of ladybirds when I came across this:
One problem with eating octopus is that it can be quite tough. Brought to mind a radio programme where some chap (whose name I forget) talked about life in Greece. One day he was listening in to a conversation between two elderly English ladies. One said that the Greeks weren't very kind to animals. "I don't know," said the other, "yesterday I saw someone taking an octopus for a walk."
Apparently she'd seen someone tenderising an octopus: put a string on it and smash it against the floor, occasionally dipping it into the sea: something to be done while walking alongside the harbour and chatting to your mates ....
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08-04-2008, 09:58 AM
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Giant octopus go back a long way in myth and legend - pulling up a large one when out fishing must have been quite scarey!
The Minoans and ancient Greeks quite often painted them - as on this vase in Athens Museum.
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08-04-2008, 05:20 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by paul m
The Minoans and ancient Greeks quite often painted them - as on this vase in Athens Museum.
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As Paul said octopi are definitly used a lot as decoration by the Myceneans and Minoans. For some reason the Minoans were crazy about octopi (anybody know why?) and they even devoted a whole style of pottery to them, the Marine-style (as seen on Pauls photo). This really playful style dates from around 1500 BC and inspired the Minoans to create the Palace style (1400 BC). In the style the octopus still is the main feature, but it's tentacles aren't so chaoticly placed and the head is less dominant.
The Myceneans on mainland Greece copied the Minoans and as per usual they decided to bring harmony and symmetry to the decoration. They go that far that their octopi look like a cup with ribbons coming out of it! The Mycenean octopus style was used from 1425 BC (when they were over-threw the Minoans) untill about 1300 BC. (I'm going to Amsterdams Ancient History museum on Friday, if I'm allowed I'll take some pictures to illustrate...)
By the way, thanks Paul for reminding me of my exam last week on Greek archeology!
Last edited by frostfire; 08-04-2008 at 07:36 PM.
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08-04-2008, 06:38 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by frostfire
............ about 1300 BC. (I'm going to Amsterdams Ancient History museum on Friday, if I'm allowed I'll take some pictures to illustrate...)
By the way, thanks Paul for reminding me of my exam last week on Greek archeology! |
Well, I hope the exam went well and I'm always keen to see/hear about the old civilisations. A fascinating period of (pre-)history which has always appealed to me - as long as you kept away from the volcanoes (and didn't upset the gods, of course ).
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27-04-2008, 08:45 AM
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28-04-2008, 02:12 PM
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It's defrosted now:
BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Colossal squid comes out of ice
Has anyone seen the podcast?
Quote:
Originally Posted by paul m
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30-04-2008, 02:57 PM
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It seem that the Kracken from the deep is a girl. Some new info has appeared on the BBC website
BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Colossal squid's big eye revealed
One of our Post Docs occasionally dissects Holothurians (Sea Cucmbers) in the lab. I thought that was a messy business, nothing compared to this squid | |
