DANCING WITH OCTOPUS

There are more than 150 species of octopus, living in all seas from polar waters to tropical ocean, and from deep water to shallow coasts. The tiniest octopus is about one inch long; the largest, the giant Pacific octopus, has arms that spread 30 feet from tip to tip and it weighs up to 125 pounds. An octopus has eight arms, each covered with strong suction cups that help it cling to rocks or prey or even a diver's mask. The octopus's mouth is at the center of all its arms. Inside the mouth is a hard beak to bite into prey. Then, some octopuses can inject venom to paralyze their prey before the arms pull the food into their mouth. And what eats octopuses?  Birds do, and fish, and especially whales and dolphins.   Octopuses and their squid cousins are a big part of the diet of toothed whales.

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With no outer shell for protection, the octopus has developed other ways to defend itself. Camouflage is one: using color spots, or "chromatophores," in its skin, the octopus can match its color to whatever surface it lies on. The chromatophores widen and shrink in less than a second to show or hide different colors. (An octopus also changes color according to its mood: bright red announces "Go away, I am feeling mean." White signals fear, and beautiful waves of color are used to attract a mate.)  To camouflage its movements and confuse predators, an octopus releases a cloud of dark ink, called sepia, and makes its escape. Speed is another defense. An octopus squirts water like a jet engine, to rocket away from danger.

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Octopuses like to be left alone. They'd rather hide out in their lair than socialize with other octopuses.  They can squeeze their body into the tiniest places because they don't have any bones or hard body parts to get in the way.They live deep in crevices or other protective holes (even jars and tin cans!).

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When a female octopus lays her eggs, she attaches strings of them to the hard surface of her lair, where she can protect them until the babies hatch. The Common Octopus lays hundreds of thousands of eggs.

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The female stays with the eggs, not even leaving to eat, brushing them free of algae and squirting fresh water over them.Then, shortly after the eggs hatch, the mother dies, leaving the babies to start a new life in the ocean current.

 

COMMON OCTOPUS FACTS

Proper Name: Octopus vulgaris
Size: Two to three feet.
Life span: One year (but up to five years for some other species).
Habitat: Temperate oceans and seas.
Food: Crustaceans (especially crabs), fish, including eels, mollusks and even other octopuses.