Octopuses are almost completely boneless, so more than 86% of their body is muscle.
DIARIO DEL HUILA, ENVIRONMENT
Octopuses are animals that have their bodies made up of a lot of muscle and no bone. All species of octopus are characterized by having eight tentacles, a long head, and three hearts. They are relatives of squids and cuttlefish, which is why they are considered one of the oldest and most successful species on Earth.
They are marine predators that propel themselves through the water like torpedoes. They have a siphon that allows them to draw water under pressure, which gives them mobility and buoyancy. Although they may seem a bit boring, the diversity of marine environments allows for a wide range of species to exist. Do not stop reading and you will see they are quite extravagant.
1. Mimetic octopus (Thaumoctopus mimicus)
Discovered in Indonesia, this species of octopus has the ability to change its coloration and act like a different animal. This is thanks to the fact that it has great control of its tentacles, with which it manages to imitate various species.
His repertoire includes different types of fish, snakes, anemones, crabs and starfish. What’s more, all these imitations are of poisonous animals. It does this as a defense mechanism, in order not to be eaten, it pretends to be a poisonous species and escapes from danger.
2. Pygmy octopus (Octopus joubini)
This octopus is one of the smallest species. It is barely 13 centimeters in length and is very skilled at hiding. Enjoy eating shellfish and reusing the shells.
Although this animal is not territorial, it usually interacts with respect to its dominance. That is, there is always a leading octopus that lives in the best shells or in the most spacious places. They live together, but not mixed.
3. Pulpo Dumbo (Grimpoteuthis)
This genus contains different species of octopus that stand out for their peculiar fins. As you will notice, it seems as if it has very long ears. Because of this, he was nicknamed Dumbo, to remind us of the traditional Disney children’s movie.
This invertebrate usually lives at a depth of 7,000 meters. It is considered a rare species, despite being part of the megafauna of deep marine habitats.
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4. Four-spotted octopus (Cirroctopus hochbergi)
Found only in northeast New Zealand, they live at depths of 800 to 1,070 metres. This species has been little studied due to its very small population, which is why it is in a critical state of extinction.
Although this animal has no use for humans, it is caught in fishing nets by accident. It is because of this and because of the damage to its habitat that its population is in imminent risk of disappearing.
5. Blue octopus (Octopus cyanea)
Within the species of octopus, there are some that have chromatophores, which are cells specialized in changing the color of the body. The blue octopus or also called day octopus, has this capacity.
The natural environment of this invertebrate is usually found surrounded by vegetation, different types of terrain, color and texture. So this octopus is capable of changing its coloration in such a fine way that it fits perfectly with its environment.
6. California two-spotted octopus (Octopus bimaculoides)
If you ever wanted to have a pet octopus, but didn’t know which one to choose, this octopus may be your best choice. Being one of the friendliest octopus species out there, it is believed that it can make a good pet. Remember that the group to which they belong, the cephalopods, are among the invertebrates with the most complex brain.
As its name suggests, its distribution ranges from California to the Baja California peninsula. They like warm, rocky, shallow waters, so they are easy to find near the beach. It’s not a dangerous species, so if you run into it, at most it will fill you with a little ink and run away.
7. Blue-ringed octopus (Hapalochlaena lunulata)
It’s not all pretend and escape, some octopuses have the ability to attack with venom. The blue-ringed octopus is a species that warns its enemies through iridescence. Although they are usually docile, their venom is deadly even to humans.
This invertebrate fuses its venom with its saliva, so it enters through the bite.