THE OCTOPUS; A COLORFUL, CONTORTING, CLEVER, CREEPY AND CAMOUFLAGING CREATURE

The word ‘Octopus’ is Greek for “head-foot” and refers to their weird anatomy.

The Octopus is a soft-bodied, eight-limbed mollusc of the order Octopod. It is bilaterally symmetric with two eyes and a beak, with its mouth at the center point of the eight limbs.

Octopuses live in every ocean, and different species have adapted to different marine habitats. As juveniles, common octopuses inhabit shallow tide pools. No species are known to live in fresh water.

The octopus has the highest brain-to-body mass ratios of all invertebrates; it is also greater than that of many vertebrates. It has a highly complex nervous system, only part of which is localized in its brain, which is contained in a cartilaginous capsule.

Octopuses have large optic lobes, areas of the brain dedicated to vision. Octopuses appear to be able to recognize individuals outside of their own species, including human faces.

Since it has numerous arms emanating from a common center, the octopus is often used as a symbol for a powerful and manipulative organization.

THE SOFT BODY CAN RAPIDLY ALTER ITS SHAPE, ENABLING OCTOPUSES TO SQUEEZE THROUGH SMALL GAPS.
The octopus can squeeze through tiny gaps; even the larger species can pass through an opening close to 2.5 cm (1 in) in diameter. They trail their eight appendages behind them as they swim.