Octopus by #Agent19

Octopuses are known as one of the smartest animals in the ocean. Their eight tentacles, three hearts, and amazing brain are all things that make them so interesting and unique!

Body

 An octopus’s body is made up of about 70% muscle and zero bones, so they can squeeze through the tiniest openings. They also have a beak, right where their tentacles meet, which is the only hard part of their bodies.  An octopus’s tentacles are covered with hundreds of suction cups. Octopuses can actually control each and every suction cup because of neurons in their arms. These neurons in each arm, act like mini-brains controlling tentacles without the actual brain telling them to.

Defense

Octopuses can:

• Change their color like chameleons

• Alter their skin texture to match coral, rocks, or sand

• Blend into their surroundings so much that they're nearly invisible.

 And when they’re threatened, they may:

• Shoot and distract predators with a cloud of ink

• Use jet propulsion, which is forcing water out of its body to move faster.

These qualities help them escape and stay safe from predators.

Hunting

Octopuses are carnivores, so they eat other animals.

For example, they eat crabs, lobsters, fish, clams, shrimp, and mussels. They usually hunt at night, using their suction cups and eyesight to hunt down their prey.

Habitats

Octopuses can live in a variety of underwater environments:

• Coral reefs

• Sea floor crevices

• Kelp forests

• Rocky coastlines

• Deep sea trenches

The majority of the species live alone in hiding places and dens.

Fun Facts

• Every octopus is venomous, but the Blue Ringed octopus is the only one lethal for humans.

• Octopuses have three hearts, two for its gills and one for the rest of its body.

• Small octopuses only live for about six months to two years, and bigger ones live for three to five years.

Sources

• Wikipedia-Octopus

• Copilot

• Weird But True book series