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Revision as of 18:20, 6 October 2008 by 216.113.44.180 (talk) (→Biology: i add info)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) 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) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
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.
Biology
Octopuses are characterized by their eight arms (as distinct from the tentacles found in squid and cuttlefish), usually bearing suction cups. These arms are a type of muscular hydrostat. Unlike most other cephalopods, the majority of octopuses — those in the suborder most commonly known, Incirrina — have almost entirely soft bodies with no internal skeleton. They have neither a protective outer shell like the nautilus, nor any vestige of an internal shell or bones, like cuttlefish or squid. A beak, similar in shape to a parrot'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 morays or other predatory fish. The octopuses in the less familiar Cirrina suborder have two fins and an internal shell, generally reducing their ability to squeeze into small spaces.
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
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.
Care must be taken to boil the octopus properly, to rid it of slime and the smell, as well as any residual ink.
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). Similarly, a live octopus may be sliced up and the legs eaten while still squirming, which they continue to do for some minutes.
Octopus are also eaten regularly in Hawai'i, many of the popular dishes being Asian in origin. Locally known by their Hawaiian or Japanese name, ("he'e" and "tako" respectively) octopus are also a popular catch used as fish bait.
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 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 poohnidae: 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
See also
- Octopus wrestling
- Legend of the Octopus
- Octopus, a Game & Watch game.
- A six-armed octopus, or "hexapus", was found in March 2008 by British researchers. Its subnormal complement of arms was attributed to a birth defect.
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
- CephBase: Octopoda
- TONMO.COM - The Octopus News Magazine Online
- Tree of Life website: information about cephalopods along with pictures and videos
- Discussion about the plural
- An octopus's shark encounter - footage of an octopus eating a shark (also in Quicktime format)
- Camouflage in action
- Video showing an Octopus escaping through a 1 inch hole
- Bipedal Octopuses- Video, Information, Original paper
- Template:PDFlink
- Video of walking octopuses