Eight Arms, Seven Facts
Sunday
Octopuses are old. The recent discovery of a rare octopus fossil in Montana shows the species had ten-armed anscestors on Earth 330 million years ago, before the age of the dinosaurs.
Monday
The octopus is one of several animals with multiple hearts. Like its close relatives the squid and cuttlefish, the octopus has three hearts to pump its blue blood.
Tuesday
Its no secret that an octopus can squirt ink in the water, but that stuff packs a triple punch. It is the melanin in the ink, the same chemical which colors your hair and skin, that actually clouds the water so that the octopus can make a getaway from the confused predator. However, another chemical in octopus ink, called tyrosinase, which temporarily irritates the pursuer’s eyes and also briefly shuts down its sense of smell.
Wednesday
Octopus ink isn’t poisonous, and its venom is not dangerous to humans, with the exception of the tiny blue-ringed octopus of Australia. For unfortunate prey, however, that venom disables and kills while the beak drills into the animal’s shell or body.
Thursday
Octopuses are smart. They can open jars, do puzzles, and get through mazes. However, octopus arms are smart in their own right, containing two-thirds of all the animals neurons, the ability to partially bypass the brain in making decisions, and are packed with suckers which can feel, taste, smell, attach, and punch (yes, punch) fish.
Friday
As if being extremely nimble and stealthy in the water weren’t cool enough, some octopuses can hunt on land.
Saturday
It turns out octopi, octopuses, or octopodes are all acceptable plurals of octopus, and there are compelling linguistic and historical arguments about which is most proper.