Â鶹APP

Photo by Serena Repice Lentini..

10 Fun Facts about Octopuses

Octopuses are very fascinating creatures. They are known for their unique appearance, remarkable intelligence, and intriguing behavior. From their incredible ability to change color and texture to their three hearts and boneless bodies, there are so many fun and interesting facts to learn about these fascinating creatures.

In this article, we will explore 10 fun facts about octopuses that will leave you shocked and amazed. Whether you are a  biologist or simply curious about octopuses, read on to discover some fascinating facts about octopuses.

1. Octopuses are not fish

Photo by Avi jimmy ben zaken. .

Octopuses belong to the cephalopod family. The family is inclusive of squids, cuttlefish, and nautiluses. In its anatomy, an octopus has no bones or a skeleton. It has been classified as an invertebrate. A fish has a backbone and a skeleton hence it is a vertebrate.

Read these 15 Fun Facts about Turkeys.

2. Octopuses have three hearts

While one heart pumps blood throughout the body, the other two pump blood to the gills. Fun fact! An octopus’ blood is blue in color. The blood is blue because the protein which carries blood, hemocyanin, contains copper as opposed to iron as is in the human blood. The organ heart actually stops beating when the octopus swims. This explains why octopuses prefer crawling rather than swimming which requires more effort.

3. Octopuses have six arms and no bones

Photo by COPPERTIST WU. .

The arms are muscular and covered in suction cups. The suction cups called suckers are used to taste, sense and smell. Each suction cup has more taste receptors than the human tongue. These suction cups have inspired lots of inventions. One of these is a glove that mimics octopus suckers to improve grip. The device’s suction activates automatically and can pick up objects of all shapes and sizes.

Octopuses have six arms and two legs. These are not eight tentacles as they are commonly referred to. The eight-limbed mollusks even have a preference when it comes to which arm they use for eating.

4. Octopuses are very intelligent creatures

The octopus has a greater brain size to its body size compared to all other creatures. Octopuses have the ability to perform high-order cognitive actions. An example of this is tool usage. They are known to have the ability to solve problems. They can even open jars and solve mazes. Once an octopus goes through a maze, it has a memory sharp enough to remember the route.

Fun Fact! There was an octopus named Paul during the 2010 World Cup. The predications were very accurate to the extent that it was a spectacle.

Check out these 15 Fun Facts about Baseball.

5. Octopuses have the ability to change color

Photo by Pasha Gulian. .

They can also change their  texture to blend in with their surroundings. This is because octopuses have thousands of color changing cells called chromatophores below the surface of its skin. Some species of octopuses have been known to mimic other animals to deter predators. They do things like mimicking a venomous lionfish.

6. The blue-ringed octopus has a lot of venom in its system

Its venom can cause paralysis and even death in humans. Blue-ringed octopuses have a beak like other octopuses. Their venom is secreted from its salivary glands. It’s venom is so dangerous to the extent that a dose of the venom can shut down muscles in a very short time. For instance, it can shut down muscles that keep you breathing and cause death within 30 minutes.

7. Octopuses are mostly solitary animals 

Photo by Daria Kraplak. .

Octopuses only come together to mate. However, recent discovery has shown that at least some octopus species appear to be much more social than previously thought. Researchers have published reports of octopuses gathering in large groups. These gatherings occur on the seafloor and in dens.

The octopuses use color and gesture to communicate. Octopuses also change their posture and spread out limbs as a means to communicate. They also form hunting parties with fish.

Find out more about these 20 Fun Facts about Alligators.

8. Octopuses are carnivores

They eat a variety of prey. This is inclusive of sea creatures like crabs, shrimp, and fish. Some species of octopuses are cannibals. These means they have the ability to eat other octopuses. Octopuses have a beak, which is used to crush prey before it is eaten. They envelope their prey in a hug and crush it before enjoying a sumptuous meal. The strength of an octopus enables it to break an animal encased in a hard shell. Octopuses have sharpened teeth that are perfect for stabbing and slicing flesh. They often hunt at night.

9. The largest octopus species is the giant Pacific octopus

Photo by damn_unique. .

Giant Pacific octopuses have huge heads that are generally reddish-brown in color. This species has been known to weigh up to 600 pounds. This octopus’ arm is up to 14 feet long. They hunt at night, surviving primarily on shrimp, clams, lobsters, and fish. These giants are awe-inspiring to behold. However, they have a short lifespan of only three to five years.

10. Octopuses have the ability to communicate with each other

They do this  using color, texture, and body language. Octopuses have a short lifespan. Their lifespan lasts only live for a few years. Octopuses use special pigment cells in their skin to change colors and textures. This helps them blend in with even the most intricately patterned corals, plants, and rocks.

Click to read these 15 Fun Facts about Flowers.