My featured Article
Magazine: National Geographic
OCTOPUS Did you know that the first writing ink is made with a pigment found in the octopus's sac? That an octopus is able to squeeze through a hole or container the size of its eye? That they are able to change the colour and texture of their skin cells in a second? That the appendages of the octopus is called arms not tentacles? They are not just the scary and fierce animals that are found in legends and myths, ripping boats apart in the middle of the sea.Octopus, an Intelligent Invertebrate?
Having the largest central nervous system - mostly in the brain - among the others invertebrate and rivaling among many vertebrates. Scientist had trained captive octopuses to negotiate their way through simple mazes and distinguish squares from crosses. However, there are some doubts that a bigger brain means greater intelligence.
Strong Characteristic and Defences.
Octopus uses their suckers, each one individually controlled, to rip prey apart and anchor itself to a rocky surface. There is also a powerful beak capable of breaking a crab's shell among their soft and boneless body. Octopus's salivary glands even contains chemicals that enable the octopus to disable the prey and break down its muscles. The appendages of the octopus are also able to grow back in any case where one is lost to its predator.
Octopuses often come on land to search for its prey. However, on octopus's blood is a poor carrier of oxygen. Therefore, all octopus has THREE HEARTS and permanently high blood pressure to enable them to stay on land for up to one and a half hour.
The Sacrifice.
Female octopuses usually mates when they are immature. When they are matured and ready to lay the eggs, the female octopuses will fend off the male octopuses. The eggs are laid in shallow water and the total number of eggs laid by a females varies from 100'000 to 500'000. The female octopuses will take care of the eggs (egg care includes cleaning the eggs and directing the jets of water from the funnel through the strings.) The female octopuses usually doesn't eat and leaves her eggs during this period. However, the female octopus dies shortly after the last embryos as she would only be two-third of her weight before she laid her eggs.
Poisonous Octopus.
The most poisonous octopus is the "Blue-ringed octopus." it is the size of a golf ball and only about 20cm including its tentacles. Its poison is enough to kill an adult in minutes. There is no known antidote yet.The octopus would appear cute and lovely but do not pick it up 'cause you will not be able to see the rings until it is too late!!
Octopus? Yummy!
The octopus is also a delicacy in other countries like Japan and Korea. The tentacles of the octopus will be eaten will it is still moving. And if you don't chew it well enough before you swallow, it will get stucked on you esophagus. You might even choke on it!! The average live span of an octopus is about 1 to 3 years. Octopus are very sensitive animals. Their lives will be greatly affected by the pollution in the sea. Though a female octopus lays many eggs at one time, many of the baby octopuses becomes the food of other marine animals. Fortunately their are no studies showing that the octopuses are facing the problem of extinction. So, have your perspective of the octopus change after reading the article? Well, i hope that it had and that you have realize the beauty of the octopus.videos of octopus and its amazing skills
Anonymous, @
January 20, 2008 at 4:50 PM