Octopus

[edit] Guide Note

The octopus is an intvertebrate with large eyes, head and eight arms.¹ It is a cephalopod in the mollusk class. About one third of all cephalopods are species of the octopus.² The octopus lives worldwide, numerous in the Mediterranean Sea, Japanese waters and Eastern parts of the Atlantic Ocean.³

[edit] Fast Facts

1. Habitat: Temperate, tropical, subtropical waters³
2. Diet: Carnivorous¹
3. Size: 12 to 36 inches in length¹
4. Weight: 6.6 to 22 lbs¹
5. Lifespan: 1 to 2 years in the wild¹
6. Endangered: No
7. Predators: Dolphins, sharks, eels⁴

The same pair of octopi can mate over and over for a period of a week.³ The male octopus inserts sperm packets into the females mantle cavity using one of his arms. The male dies a few months after mating. ² Spawning and brooding takes about four to five months in cooler temperatures, with the total number of eggs laid between 100,000 to 500,000.³ Females will often go an entire month without eating while protecting her eggs, and die when the eggs hatch.²

The octopus can hide from predators by blending into any environment through changes in color and texture of skin.³ They typically will flee from potential attackers. When attacked the octopus shoots water and ink from it's mantle cavity. The ink can disable the attacker's sense of smell, allowing the octopus to flee.⁵