Celebrated on October 8th
Did you know: They eat their arms when bored A baby octopus moves across the sea floorA baby octopus (Graneledone verrucosa) moves across the seafloor in Veatch Canyon. Stewards of captive octopuses take heed: Compared with octopuses living in tanks full of interesting decor like shells and flowerpots, octopuses living in more spartan conditions become pretty stressed out, one study found. Some even turn to a disturbing behavior known as autophagy, or eating their own appendages, in such non-stimulating environments.
Source: Live ScienceDid you know: Octopuses have three hearts. Two of the hearts work exclusively to move blood beyond the animal’s gills, while the third keeps circulation flowing for the organs. The organ heart actually stops beating when the octopus swims, explaining the species’ penchant for crawling rather than swimming, which exhausts them.
Source: Smithsonian MagazineDid you know: The amazing mimic octopuses are capable of changing their body shape to mimic other animals. Fast swimmers, they can jet forward by expelling water through their mantles. And their soft bodies, with no internal or external skeleton, can squeeze into impossibly small cracks and crevices where predators can’t follow.
Source: One Kind Planet