The octopus is undoubtedly one of the most fascinating marine animals that exist. The complex physical characteristics, the great intelligence that it possesses or its reproduction are some of the topics that have most aroused the interest of scientists from all over the world, which has led to the elaboration of different studies.
All these details have inspired us to write this article on our site, in which we have compiled a total of 20 curiosities about octopuses based on scientific studies. Find out more about this octopod below:
The amazing intelligence of octopuses
- The octopus, despite not being especially long-lived and expressing a solitary lifestyle, is capable of learning and having behavior typical of its species on its own.
- These are highly intelligent animals, capable of solving complex problems, discriminating through classical conditioning and learning through observation.
- They are also capable of learning through operant conditioning. It has been shown that learning can be worked with them using positive rewards and negative consequences.
- Your cognitive ability is demonstrated by carrying out different behaviors depending on the stimulus present depending on your survival.
- They are capable of transporting materials to make their own shelters, even though they have difficulty moving and may temporarily put their survival at risk. In this way, they have the opportunity to survive longer.
- Octopuses apply a significantly different pressure when they are about to handle different utensils, prey or, on the contrary, act defensively against predators. They have been shown to hold prey, such as fish, much more strongly than the tools you may use to protect them.
- They recognize and differentiate their own amputated tentacles from those of other members of the same species. According to one of the studies consulted, 94% of the octopuses did not eat their own tentacles, but instead carried them to their refuge using their beak.
- The octopus can mimic species in its environment that are poisonous as another way of survival. This is possible due to its capacity for long-term memory, learning and defensive reflex memory, present in any animal.
- It has presynaptic facilitation of serotonin, a neurotransmitter substance that influences mood, emotions and depressive states in a wide range of animals. It is for this reason that "The Cambridge Statement on Consciousness" lists the octopus as an animal that is self-aware.
- The organization of the motor behavior of the octopus and the intelligent behavior it possesses has been essential for the construction of high-capacity robots, mainly due to its complex biological system.
Physical characteristics of octopuses
- Octopuses can walk, swim and cling to any surface thanks to their powerful and strong suction cups. To do this you need three hearts, one that works exclusively in your head and two that pump blood to the rest of your body.
- The octopus cannot become entangled with itself, a substance secreted by its skin prevents it.
- It can change its physical appearance, just like chameleons do, as well as its texture, depending on the environment or the predators present.
- It is capable of regenerating its tentacles if they are amputated.
- The arms of the octopus are extremely flexible and have infinite movements. To ensure proper control, it moves through stereotyped patterns that reduce its freedom and allow greater control of the body.
- Your vision is colorblind, that is, you have difficulty discriminating shades of red, green and sometimes blue.
- Octopuses have about 500 million neurons, the same as a dog and six times more than a mouse.
- Each tentacle of the octopus has about 40 million chemical receptors, which is why each one, individually, is considered to be a great sensory organ.
- Lacking bones, the octopus uses muscles as the main structure of the body, by stiffening and contracting them. It is a motor control strategy.
- There is a relationship between the olfactory receptors in the octopus brain and its reproductive system. They are able to identify the chemical elements that float in the water of other octopuses even through their suction cups.
Bibliography
Nir Nesher, Guy Levy, Frank W. Grasso, Binyamin Hochner "Self-Recognition Mechanism between Skin and Suckers Prevents Octopus Arms from Interfering with Each Other" CellPress May 15, 2014
Scott L. Hooper "Motor Control: The Importance of Stiffness" CellPress Nov 10, 2016
Caroline B. Albertin, Oleg Simakov, Therese Mitros, Z. Yan Wang, Judit R. Pungor, Eric Edsinger-Gonzales, Sydney Brenner, Clifton W. Ragsdale, Daniel S. Rokhsar "The octopus genome and the evolution of cephalopod neural and morphological novelties" Nature 524 Aug 13, 2015
Binyamin Hochner "An Embodied View of Octopus Neurobiology" CellPress Oct 1, 2012
Ilaria Zarrella, Giovanna Ponte, Elena Baldascino and Graziano Fiorito "Learning and memory in Octopus vulgaris: a case of biological plasticity" Current Opinion in Neurobiology, sciencedirect, 2015-12-01
Julian K. Finn, Tom Tregenza, Mark D. Norman " Defensive tool use in a coconut-carrying octopus" CellPress Oct 10, 2009
