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	The '''octopus''' ({{pronEng\|ˈɒktəpəs}}, from ] {{Unicode\|Ὀκτώπους}}, 'eight-footed',<ref>] from ] ὀκτώποδ-, ὀκτώπους (also ὀκτάποδ- ὀκτάπους) "eight-footed" > ὀκτώ- or ὀκτά- and πόδ-, πούς "foot". Cf. ] χταπόδι <οκταπόδι <οκταπόδιον <ὀκτάπους.</ref> with plural forms: '''octopuses''' {{IPA\|}}, '''octopi''' {{IPA\|}}, or '''octopodes''' {{IPA\|}}, see ]) is a ] of the ] '''Octopoda''' that inhabits many diverse regions of the ], especially ]s. The term may also refer to only those creatures in the ] '']''. In the larger sense, there are around 300 recognized octopus ], which is over one-third of the total number of known cephalopod species.		The '''octopus''' ({{pronEng\|ˈɒktəpəs}}, from ] {{Unicode\|Ὀκτώπους}}, 'eight-footed',<ref>] from ] ὀκτώποδ-, ὀκτώπους (also ὀκτάποδ- ὀκτάπους) "eight-footed" > ὀκτώ- or ὀκτά- and πόδ-, πούς "foot". Cf. ] χταπόδι <οκταπόδι <οκταπόδιον <ὀκτάπους.</ref> with plural forms: '''octopuses''' {{IPA\|}}, '''octopi''' {{IPA\|}}, or '''octopodes''' {{IPA\|}}, see ]) is a ] of the ] '''Octopoda''' that inhabits many diverse regions of the ], especially ]s. The term may also refer to only those creatures in the ] '']''. In the larger sense, there are around 300 recognized octopus ], which is over one-third of the total number of known cephalopod species.

			octopus are often confused with dogs in third world countries and persecuted for their religion in the southern part of the united states. poop
	==Biology==
	Octopuses are characterized by their eight ]s (not ]s), usually bearing suction cups. These arms are a type of ]. Unlike most other cephalopods, the majority of octopuses — those in the suborder most commonly known, ] — have almost entirely soft bodies with no internal ]. They have neither a protective outer ] like the ], nor any vestige of an internal shell or ]s, like ] or ]s. A ], similar in shape to a ]'s beak, is the only hard part of their body. This enables them to squeeze through very narrow slits between underwater rocks, which is very helpful when they are fleeing from ]s or other predatory fish. The octopuses in the less familiar ] suborder have two fins and an internal shell, generally reducing their ability to squeeze into small spaces.

	]s during ]]]

	Octopuses have a relatively short ], and some species live for as little as six months. Larger species, such as the ], may live for up to five years under suitable circumstances. However, reproduction is a cause of death: males can only live for a few months after mating, and females die shortly after their eggs hatch. They neglect to eat during the (roughly) one month period spent taking care of their unhatched eggs, but they don't die of starvation. Endocrine secretions from the two optic glands are the cause of genetically-programmed death (and if these glands are surgically removed, the octopus may live many months beyond reproduction, until she finally starves).

	Octopuses have three hearts. Two pump blood through each of the two ]s, while the third pumps blood through the body. Octopus ] contains the ]-rich protein ] for transporting ]. Although less efficient under ] than the ]-rich ] of vertebrates, in cold conditions with low oxygen pressure, hemocyanin oxygen transportation is more efficient than hemoglobin oxygen transportation. The hemocyanin is dissolved in the ] instead of being bound in ]s and gives the blood a blue color. Octopuses draw water into their mantle cavity where it passes through its gills. As ], octopuses have gills that are finely divided and vascularized outgrowths of either the outer or the inner body surface.

	===Intelligence===
	{{main\|Cephalopod intelligence}}
	] (''Octopus cyanea'') observing its surroundings]]
	Octopuses are highly ], probably more intelligent than any other order of ]s. The exact extent of their intelligence and learning capability is much debated among biologists,<ref name="ham">. By Garry Hamilton.</ref><ref name="doug"> By Doug Stewart. In: National Wildlife. Feb/Mar 1997, vol.35 no.2.
	</ref><ref name="denizen"> </ref> but maze and ] experiments have shown that they do have both ] and ]. Their short lifespans limit the amount they can ultimately learn. There has been much speculation to the effect that almost all octopus behaviors are independently learned rather than instinct-based, although this remains largely unproven. They learn almost no behaviors from their parents, with whom young octopuses have very little contact.

	An octopus has a highly complex ], only part of which is localized in its ]. Two-thirds of an octopus's ]s are found in the nerve cords of its arms, which have a remarkable amount of autonomy. Octopus arms show a wide variety of complex ] actions arising on at least three different levels of the nervous system. Some octopuses, such as the ], will move their arms in ways that emulate the movements of other ].

	In laboratory experiments, octopuses can be readily trained to distinguish between different shapes and patterns. They have been reported to practice ],<ref></ref> although the validity of these findings is widely contested on a number of grounds.<ref name="ham">. By Garry Hamilton.</ref><ref name="doug"> By Doug Stewart. In: National Wildlife. Feb/Mar 1997, vol.35 no.2.
	</ref> Octopuses have also been observed in what some have described as play: repeatedly releasing bottles or toys into a circular current in their aquariums and then catching them.<ref>. By Dr. Jennifer Mather, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, ] and Roland C. Anderson, The ]. </ref> Octopuses often break out of their aquariums and sometimes into others in search of food. They have even boarded ]s and opened holds to eat crabs.<ref name=denizen></ref>

	In some countries, octopuses are on the list of ] on which surgery may not be performed without ]. In the UK, cephalopods such as octopuses are regarded as ''honorary vertebrates'' under the ] and other ] legislation, extending to them protections not normally afforded to invertebrates.<ref></ref>

	A common belief is that when stressed, an octopus may begin to eat its own arms. However, limited research conducted in this area has revealed that the cause of this abnormal behavior, called ], may be a virus that attacks the octopus's ]. Thus this behavior may be more correctly labeled as a ].{{Fact\|date=February 2007}}

	===Defense===
	]
	] (''Hapalochlaena lunulata'')]]
	Three defensive mechanisms are typical of octopuses: ]s, ], and ]s.

	Most octopuses can eject a thick blackish ink in a large cloud to aid in escaping from predators. The main colouring agent of the ink is melanin, which is the same chemical that gives humans their hair and ]. This ink cloud dulls ], which is particularly useful for evading predators that are dependent on smell for hunting, such as ]s.

	An octopus's camouflage is aided by certain specialized skin cells which can change the apparent color, opacity, and reflectiveness of the epidermis. ]s contain yellow, orange, red, brown, or black pigments; most species have three of these colors, while some have two or four. Other color-changing cells are reflective ]s, and ]s (white).<ref>{{cite web \| url = http://www.dnr.sc.gov/marine/sertc/species_month.htm \| title = Tales from the Cryptic: The Common Atlantic Octopus \| accessdate = 2006-07-27 \| author = Meyers, Nadia\|publisher = Southeastern Regional Taxonomic Center}}</ref> This color-changing ability can also be used to communicate with or warn other octopuses. The very venomous ] becomes bright yellow with blue rings when it is provoked.

	When under attack, some octopuses can ], in a similar manner to the way ]s and other ]s detach their tails. The crawling arm serves as a distraction to would-be predators; this ability is also used in mating.

	A few species, such as the ], have a fourth defense mechanism. They can combine their highly flexible bodies with their color changing ability to accurately mimic other, more dangerous animals such as ], ] and ]s. They have also been observed changing the texture of their mantle in order to achieve a greater camouflage. The mantle can take on the spiky appearance of seaweed, or the scraggly, bumpy texture of a rock, among other disguises.

	===Reproduction===
	When octopuses reproduce, males use a specialized arm called a ] to insert ]s (packets of sperm) into the female's mantle cavity. The hectocotylus in benthic octopuses is usually the third right arm. Males die within a few months after mating. In some species, the female octopus can keep the sperm alive inside her for weeks until her eggs are mature. After they have been fertilized, the female lays about 200,000 eggs (this figure dramatically varies between families, genera, species and also individuals). The female hangs these eggs in strings from the ceiling of her lair, or individually attaches them to the ] depending on the species. The female cares for the eggs, guarding them against predators, and gently blowing currents of water over them so that they get enough oxygen. The female does not eat during the roughly one-month period spent taking care of the unhatched eggs. At around the time the eggs hatch, the mother dies and the young larval octopuses spend a period of time drifting in clouds of ], where they feed on ]s, larval ]s and larval ] until they are ready to sink down to the bottom of the ocean, where the cycle repeats itself. In some deeper dwelling species, the young do not go through this period. This is a dangerous time for the larval octopuses; as they become part of the plankton cloud they are vulnerable to many plankton eaters.

	===Sensation===
	]'']]
	Octopuses have keen eyesight. Although their slit-shaped ]s might be expected to afflict them with ], it appears that this is not a problem in the light levels in which an octopus typically hunts. Surprisingly, they do not appear to have ], although they can distinguish the ] of light. Attached to the brain are two special organs, called ]s, that allow the octopus to sense the orientation of its body relative to horizontal. An ] response keeps the octopus's eyes oriented so that the pupil slit is always horizontal.

	Octopuses also have an excellent ]. An octopus's suction cups are equipped with ] so that the octopus can ] what it is touching. The arms contain ] sensors so that the octopus knows whether its arms are stretched out. However, the octopus has a very poor ] sense. The tension receptors are not sufficient for the octopus brain to determine the position of the octopus's body or arms. (It is not clear that the octopus brain would be capable of processing the large amount of information that this would require; the flexibility of an octopus's arms is much greater than that of the limbs of vertebrates, which devote large areas of ] to the processing of proprioceptive inputs.) As a result, the octopus does not possess ]; that is, it does not form a ] of the overall shape of the object it is handling. It can detect local texture variations, but cannot integrate the information into a larger picture.<ref name="wells">Wells. Martin John. ''Octopus: physiology and behaviour of an advanced invertebrate''. London : ] ; New York : distributed in the U.S.A. by Halsted Press, 1978.</ref>

	The neurological autonomy of the arms means that the octopus has great difficulty learning about the detailed effects of its motions. The brain may issue a high-level command to the arms, but the nerve cords in the arms execute the details. There is no neurological path for the brain to receive feedback about just how its command was executed by the arms; the only way it knows just what motions were made is by observing the arms visually.<ref name="wells"/>

	===Locomotion===
	]
	Octopuses move about by crawling or swimming. Their main means of slow travel is crawling, with some swimming. Their only means of fast travel is called jet propulsion.

	They crawl by walking on their arms, usually on many at once, on solid surfaces, while supported in water. In 2005 it was reported that some octopuses can walk on two arms on a solid surface, while at the same time imitating a coconut or a clump of seaweed.<ref> (See "Bipedal Octopuses" external link below if you do not have access to ''Science'' online)</ref> This is a standard evasive measure of the octopus that safely allows it to slowly meander away from a predator while presumably unnoticed. The octopus moves in synchronization with the cadence of underwater waves, thus giving the illusion of not moving and, more importantly, not resembling an octopus at all. Octopuses need such defensive strategies since their soft tissue and lack of bone structure make them extremely vulnerable to predators.{{Fact\|date=May 2008}}

	They swim by expelling a jet of water from a contractile ], and aiming it via a muscular ].

	===Size===
	{{see also\|Cephalopod size}}
	The ], ''Enteroctopus dofleini'', is often cited as the largest octopus species. Adults usually weigh around 15 kg (33 lb), with an arm span of up to 4.3 m (14 ft).<ref name="FONZ"></ref> The largest specimen of this species to be scientifically documented was an animal with a live mass of 71 kg (156.5 lb).<ref>Cosgrove, J.A. 1987. Aspects of the Natural History of ''Octopus dofleini'', the Giant Pacific Octopus. M.Sc. Thesis. Department of Biology, University of Victoria (Canada), 101 pp.</ref> The alternative contender is the ], ''Haliphron atlanticus'', based on a 61 kg (134 lb) carcass estimated to have a live mass of 75 kg (165 lb).<ref>O'Shea, S. 2004. The giant octopus ''Haliphron atlanticus'' (Mollusca : Octopoda) in New Zealand waters. ''New Zealand Journal of Zoology'' '''31'''(1): 7-13.</ref><ref>O'Shea, S. 2002. ''Haliphron atlanticus'' — a giant gelatinous octopus. ''Biodiversity Update'' '''5''': 1.</ref> However, there are a number of questionable size records that would suggest ''E. dofleini'' is the largest of all octopus species by a considerable margin;<ref name=norman03>Norman, M. 2000. ''Cephalopods: A World Guide''. Hackenheim, ConchBooks, p. 214.</ref> one such record is of a specimen weighing 272 kg (600 lb) and having an arm span of 9 m (30 ft).<ref>High, W.L. 1976. The giant Pacific octopus. ''U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service, Marine Fisheries Review'' '''38'''(9): 17-22.</ref>

	== Terminology ==		== Terminology ==

Revision as of 23:44, 5 June 2008

For other uses, see Octopus (disambiguation).

Octopus

The Common Octopus, Octopus vulgaris.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Cephalopoda
Subclass:	Coleoidea
Superorder:	Octopodiformes
Order:	Octopoda Leach, 1818
Suborders
†Pohlsepia (incertae sedis) †Proteroctopus (incertae sedis) †Palaeoctopus (incertae sedis) Cirrina Incirrina
Synonyms
Octopoida Leach, 1817

The octopus (Template:PronEng, from Greek Ὀκτώπους, 'eight-footed', with plural forms: octopuses , octopi , or octopodes , see below) is a cephalopod of the order Octopoda that inhabits many diverse regions of the ocean, especially coral reefs. The term may also refer to only those creatures in the genus Octopus. In the larger sense, there are around 300 recognized octopus species, which is over one-third of the total number of known cephalopod species.

octopus are often confused with dogs in third world countries and persecuted for their religion in the southern part of the united states. poop

Terminology

There are three forms of the plural of octopus; namely, octopuses, octopi, and octopodes. Currently, octopuses is the most common form in the UK as well as the US; octopodes is rare, and octopi is often objected to.

The Oxford English Dictionary (2004 update) lists octopuses, octopi and octopodes (in that order); it labels octopodes "rare", and notes that octopi derives from the mistaken assumption that octōpūs is a second declension Latin noun, which it is not. Rather, it is (Latinized) Greek, from oktṓpous Template:Polytonic, gender masculine, whose plural is oktṓpodes (Template:Polytonic). If the word were native to Latin, it would be octōpēs ('eight-foot') and the plural octōpedes, analogous to centipedes and mīllipedes, as the plural form of pēs ('foot') is pedes. In modern, informal Greek, it is called khtapódi Template:Polytonic, gender neuter, with plural form khtapódia Template:Polytonic.

Chambers 21st Century Dictionary and the Compact Oxford Dictionary list only octopuses, although the latter notes that octopodes is "still occasionally used"; the British National Corpus has 29 instances of octopuses, 11 of octopi and 4 of octopodes. Merriam-Webster 11th Collegiate Dictionary lists octopuses and octopi, in that order; Webster's New World College Dictionary lists octopuses, octopi and octopodes (in that order).

Fowler's Modern English Usage states that "the only acceptable plural in English is octopuses," and that octopi is misconceived and octopodes pedantic.

The term octopod (plural octopods or octopodes) is taken from the taxonomic order Octopoda but has no classical equivalent. The collective form octopus is usually reserved for animals consumed for food.

Relationship to humans

Template:Commercial mollusc topics

Moche Octopus. 200 A.D. Larco Museum Collection Lima, Peru.

Ancient peoples of the Mediterranean were cognizant of the octopus, as evinced by certain artworks and designs of prehistory. For example, a stone carving found in the archaeological recovery from Bronze Age Minoan Crete at Knossos has a depiction of a fisherman carrying an octopus.

The Moche people of ancient Peru worshipped the sea and its animals; moreover, octopuses were often depicted in their art.

In mythology

The Hawaiʻian creation myth relates that the present cosmos is only the last of a series, having arisen in stages from the wreck of the previous universe. In this account, the octopus is the lone survivor of the previous, alien universe.

As food

Many species of octopus are eaten as food by human cultures around the world. The arms and sometimes other parts of the body are prepared in various ways, often depending on the species being eaten.

Octopus is a common ingredient in Japanese cuisine, including sushi, takoyaki, and Akashiyaki. Some small species are sometimes eaten alive as a novelty and health food (mostly in South Korea). Octopus is also a common food in Mediterranean cuisine. In Galicia, polbo á feira (fair style octopus) is a local delicacy. Restaurants which specialize or serve this dish are known as pulperías.

According to the USDA Nutrient Database (2007), cooked octopus contains approximately 139 calories per three ounce portion, and is a source of vitamin B3, B12, potassium, phosphorus, and selenium.

As pets

Though octopuses can be difficult to keep in captivity, some people keep them as pets. Octopuses often escape even from supposedly secure tanks, due to their intelligence, problem solving skills, mobility and lack of rigid structure.

The variation in size and life span among octopus species makes it difficult to know how long a new specimen can naturally be expected to live. That is, a small octopus may be just born or may be an adult, depending on the species. By selecting a well-known species, such as the California Two-spot Octopus, one can choose a small octopus (around the size of a tennis ball) and be confident that it is young with a full life ahead of it.

Octopuses are also quite strong for their size. Octopuses kept as pets have been known to open the covers of their aquariums and survive for a time in the air in order to get to a nearby feeder tank and gorge themselves on the fish there. They have also been known to catch and kill some species of sharks.

Classification

Class CEPHALOPODA
- Subclass Nautiloidea: nautilus
- Subclass Coleoidea
  - Superorder Decapodiformes: squid, cuttlefish
  - Superorder Octopodiformes
    - Order Vampyromorphida: Vampire Squid
    - Order Octopoda
      - Genus †Pohlsepia (incertae sedis)
      - Genus †Proteroctopus (incertae sedis)
      - Genus †Palaeoctopus (incertae sedis)
      - Suborder Cirrina: finned deep-sea octopus
        Family Opisthoteuthidae: umbrella octopus
        
        Family Cirroteuthidae
        
        Family Stauroteuthidae
      - Suborder Incirrina
        Family Amphitretidae: telescope octopus
        
        Family Bolitaenidae: gelatinous octopus
        
        Family Octopodidae: benthic octopus
        
        Family Vitreledonellidae: Glass Octopus
        
        Superfamily Argonautoida
        Family Alloposidae: Seven-arm Octopus
        
        Family Argonautidae: argonauts
        
        Family Ocythoidae: Tuberculate Pelagic Octopus
        
        Family Tremoctopodidae: blanket octopus

References

Scientific Latin from Greek ὀκτώποδ-, ὀκτώπους (also ὀκτάποδ- ὀκτάπους) "eight-footed" > ὀκτώ- or ὀκτά- and πόδ-, πούς "foot". Cf. Modern Greek χταπόδι <οκταπόδι <οκταπόδιον <ὀκτάπους.
Peters, Pam (2004). The Cambridge Guide to English Usage. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-62181-X, p. 388.
(subscription required). Retrieved October 22, 2007.
. Retrieved October 19, 2007.
Retrieved October 19, 2007.
C. Michael Hogan, Knossos fieldnotes, Modern Antiquarian (2007)
Berrin, Katherine & Larco Museum. The Spirit of Ancient Peru:Treasures from the Museo Arqueológico Rafael Larco Herrera. New York: Thames and Hudson, 199 7.
Dixon, Roland Burrage (1916). The Mythology of All Races. Vol. 9. Marshall Jones. p. 15. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |subtitle= ignored (help)
Octopus Calories And Nutrition
Archived Google video of an octopus catching a shark, from The Octopus Show by Mike deGruy
"Six-legged 'hexapus' claimed as world first in Britain". 2008-03-03. Retrieved 2008-03-03.

External links

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