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The Octopus. A very strange creature. No bones and eight legs. For centuries the sailors have looked down at the deep seas with fear. Fear of meeting horrible creatures. Many stories were written about giant octopuses lurking in the depths and attacking unwary sailors and plunging their ships with only the strength of their legs. What is true in this mythology? Is the octopus a fearsome animal?<\/p>\n
Yes and no. If there was a giant octopus the size of Cracken, it is certain that at least, out of curiosity, \u00a0it would have stalked and sunk at least a few ships. Luckily the largest octopus ever known measured 9m and weighed about 250kg. The size of this specimen was insufficient to surround ships with his\u00a0legs and even\u00a0less to sink them.<\/p>\n
Octopuses inhabit all the oceans and most seas of our planet. Most are pelagic, meaning they live near the surface of the water in shells, reefs and cracks. Some species live on the ocean floor, making their homes out of caves dug in the sand by themselves. They tend to be solitary.<\/p>\n
They are carnivorous creatures that hunt at night. Meals can include clams, crabs, lobsters, fish, sharks (yes, you read well, sharks) and even birds. Octopuses usually fall on their prey, wrap it in their arms and pull the animal towards its mouth where a fearsome strong peak, awaits them. 1\u00a0\u2013<\/strong> Scientists claim that octopuses are\u00a0the most intelligent animal of all the\u00a0invertebrates. So much that they say that if they had a longer life, they would be the dominant species in the world.<\/p>\n 2\u00a0\u2013<\/strong> They are able to use tools and even learn by looking at what other octopuses do.<\/p>\n 3\u00a0\u2013<\/strong> The earliest known octopus fossil is 296 million years old.<\/p>\n 4\u00a0\u2013<\/strong> It is considered one of the most flexible creatures of our world, being able to get practically into any hole although it may seem impossible.<\/p>\n 5\u00a0\u2013\u00a0<\/strong>An octopus has 3 hearts. Two of them pump blood to its\u00a0respiratory system and the other one pumps blood through its\u00a0body.<\/p>\n 6\u00a0\u2013<\/strong> They have blue blood because they use hemocyanin instead of hemoglobin as an oxygen-carrying molecule.<\/p>\n 7\u00a0\u2013<\/strong> Although it is commonly said that they have 8 legs, in fact they have 6 arms and 2 legs.<\/p>\n 8\u00a0\u2013<\/strong> Technically, octopuses do not have tentacles, but legs or arms. The tentacles belong to\u00a0squid, sepia and nautilus.<\/p>\n 9\u00a0\u2013<\/strong> Octopuses can get rid of an arm to escape their predators. After time, it grows again.<\/p>\n 10\u00a0\u2013<\/strong> The octopus sense of smell is found in the around 1,600 suction cups on each arm, which also provide the sense of touch.<\/p>\n
Octopuses have a short life span. Some species only live for about six months. Other species, such as the giant North Pacific Octopus, can live up to five years. No matter what, when the octopuses mate, they die soon after. None of its nearly 300 species are considered endangered, although a few are declared as \u201cwithout sufficient data\u201d.
<\/a><\/p>\nCurious Octo-Facts<\/h3>\n
Octopuses have a short life span. Scientists claim that , if octopuses\u00a0had a longer life, they would be the dominant species in the world. They are able to use tools and even learn by looking at what other octopuses do.<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n