Octopuses 101 | Nat Geo Wild

Summary

Octopuses possess a complex cardiovascular system with three hearts and copper-based blue blood. Their nervous system is unique, with a brain and two-thirds of neurons distributed throughout their body, especially in their arms, which have local control and sensory capabilities. These intelligent creatures can use tools, solve puzzles, and differentiate between humans. They have a short lifespan, with females dying after laying eggs through a process of cellular suicide. Octopuses can also release deadly ink to deter predators and are masters of mimicry and camouflage, changing color and texture to blend into their surroundings.

Takeaways

• 💙 Octopuses have a unique cardiovascular system with three hearts; two pump blood to the gills and one circulates it throughout the body.
• 🔵 Octopus blood contains copper, which gives it a blue color, differing from the iron-based blood in humans.
• 🧠 The octopus nervous system is extensive, with two-thirds of its neurons located in its arms, allowing for independent movement and sensation.
• 🤔 Octopuses are highly intelligent, capable of using tools, solving puzzles, and differentiating between individual humans.
• 🎮 Playful behavior in octopuses is considered a sign of their intelligence.
• 🐙 Most octopus species have a short lifespan of one to two years, largely due to their reproductive habits.
• 🌊 After mating, female octopuses may strangle and eat males, and then die after laying and guarding their eggs, a process that involves cellular suicide.
• 🖤 Octopus ink contains the compound tyrosinase, which can impair a predator's senses and even be deadly to the octopus itself if it cannot escape.
• 🦸‍♂️ Octopuses are masters of mimicry and camouflage, able to change color and texture to blend into their surroundings.
• 🦑 The mimic octopus can alter its body shape to impersonate other animals, showcasing its advanced mimicry skills.

Q & A

How many hearts does an octopus have?

An octopus has three hearts. Two pump blood to the gills, and a third moves blood throughout the rest of the body.

What is unique about octopus blood compared to human blood?

Octopus blood is copper-based, which makes it appear blue, unlike human blood which is iron-based.

How is the octopus nervous system organized?

The octopus nervous system includes a brain, but two-thirds of the neurons are found throughout its body, especially in its arms, allowing significant local control and sensory capabilities.

What does the ability of octopus arms to still reach or grasp after being severed indicate?

It indicates that the arms have significant local control and sensory capabilities.

How do octopus suckers help them in their environment?

Octopus suckers are able to sense chemicals, allowing them to 'smell' or 'taste' their surroundings.

What are some signs of intelligence in octopuses?

Octopuses show intelligence through their ability to use tools, exhibit foresight, retain complex memories, navigate mazes, solve puzzles, and use visual cues to differentiate between human individuals.

Why is playing considered a sign of intelligence in octopuses?

Playing is an activity that requires a level of cognitive ability and is considered a sign of intelligence in octopuses.

What is the typical lifespan of most octopus species?

Most octopus species live between one and two years.

How does the reproductive process affect the lifespan of octopuses?

After mating, female octopuses die after laying their eggs, and their bodies self-destruct through cellular suicide during the egg-guarding period.

What is the composition of octopus ink and how can it be deadly?

Octopus ink is a mixture of mucus and melanin, containing the chemical compound tyrosinase, which can impair a predator's sight, taste, and smell. It can also block a fish's gills causing suffocation. If an octopus cannot escape its own ink, its respiratory systems may be compromised, causing it to suffocate and die.

How do octopuses use their ability to change color and texture?

Octopuses can trigger cells called chromatophores to change color and use papillae to mimic textures, allowing them to camouflage themselves and impersonate other animals.

What is the significance of the mimic octopus's ability to impersonate other animals?

The mimic octopus can not only camouflage itself but also manipulate its body shape to impersonate other animals, which is a form of wily mimicry that helps it evade predators.