|
Would you believe that the octopus is considered one of the most intelligent invertebrates (animals with no backbones) and may be more intelligent than some vertebrates (animals with backbones)? Some people even believe they are as smart as cats! Because of this increased intelligence and their capacity for learning, we have an octopus enrichment program here at the Virginia Living Museum. This program consists of the aquarium staff interacting with the octopus by adding puzzles, toys and even bottles with food to the exhibit. Can you believe that the octopus is able to figure out how to unscrew the cap and remove the food!
The octopus is part of the Mollusk family, which is more closely related to a mussel than a fish. Other members of this family include the squid and cuttlefish. These solitary, nocturnal animals get their name from its eight arms called tentacles. Each tentacle has 240 suction cups that help the octopus grab food and maneuver around the bottom or in the water column. If a tentacle is lost, perhaps by a predator, the octopus is able to regenerate a new arm.
Octopuses like to eat a variety of shellfish, their favorite meal being crabs. The octopus uses it long tentacles to grab its prey and then to move it to their mouth. The largest octopus found in the world is the North Pacific Giant Octopus. This octopus lives in the Pacific Ocean and can weigh up to 110 pounds and measure 10-16 feet in length. The octopus species we generally find off our coast are much smaller and only reach lengths of 24-32 inches.
|
