![]() The octopuses in the study changed color from dark to pale as they switched back and forth between stages. Most recently, a research study found that when octopuses sleep, they have two stages akin to human’s REM and deep sleep stages. There is still so much to learn about these creatures. ![]() Like humans, octopuses sleep in more than one stage That’s the strength needed to pry open shellfish and crush hard-shelled crab, but it also helps them achieve other tricks they’ve been known to do like opening jars to get at crabby treats or lifting aquarium lids to escape! Those suckers really do act like suction cups by conforming to the shape of things they touch and contracting the surrounding muscles to create a suction. There are over 2,000 suckers spread out across their eight arms, and the larger ones near the center of the body can lift more than 30 pounds. Thanks to muscular, yet supple, boneless bodies and powerful suckers, GPOs are incredibly strong and nimble. They can perform some amazing feats of strength and agility It is definitely a two-way encounter and it's one that is always cherished.Ĥ. As divers, this is probably their most appealing trait-most other organisms swim away or don't react to your presence, but these curious cephalopods seem to want to interact, watching you, watching them, trying to work out if you're predator or prey, or maybe a playmate. Octopuses use their intelligence not only to change the color and texture of their skin but also to control the sensors in their suckers to touch, taste, and smell their surroundings. They have the biggest brain of any invertebrate It makes us wonder how many we miss that are just watching us pass by. This is one of the reasons it’s always so exciting to find one on a dive and watch it move over different backgrounds, changing color and texture as it goes. These cells expand and contract and can even produce different textures-like bumps, ridges, and ‘horns’ above an octopus’s eyes-that mimic surrounding surfaces. In just three-tenths of a second, GPOs can blend into their environment by changing colors using special skin cells called chromatophores. They are undisputed masters of camouflage It hunts a wide variety of crustaceans and mollusks such as clams, mussels, crabs, and fish.2. The giant Pacific octopus feeds on prey that live near the bottom of the ocean. ![]() The giant Pacific octopus can catch multiple prey items at once, holding onto each one using the suction discs on their tentacles. The octopus will typically stalk and trap its prey, but wait to eat until it returns to its den, leaving bones and shell remnants at the entrance. Divers should use caution around the giant Pacific octopus because of its ability to inject venom into a bite through its saliva. Diver attacks usually occur when the octopus is aggravated or provoked by humans, whether by accident or when trying to capture footage. While octopods typically exhibit shy behavior towards humans, there have been multiple diver attacks recorded. This species is considered the most intelligent invertebrate with a complex, lobed, and folded brain. From the thousands of eggs, only 1 to 2 will survive to become mature octopuses. When the larvae hatch, they are just the size of a grain of rice. The largest confirmed giant Pacific octopus found weighed 437 pounds (198.2 kilograms).Īt the end of her life, the female octopus will lay between 120,000 and 400,000 eggs and stop eating for around 6 months until the eggs have hatched. Most giant Pacific octopuses weigh less than 70 pounds and can stretch 15 feet in length. It has a longer lifespan than most other octopods, living between 3 to 5 years. The giant Pacific octopus inhabits the entire Pacific Rim from the western coastline of North America all the way to Korea. It prefers shallow and nearshore marine environments, seeking out covered, secluded dens to hide from predators beneath the protection of rocky structures. The giant Pacific octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini) is the largest octopus species in the world and can be found right here in the Salish Sea.
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