Animal Facts > Octopus

There are 289 species of the eight legged cephalopod known as octopus. Being invertebrates they have no skeleton or outer shell, making their sharp, parrot like beak the hardest surface of their bodies. Their life spans can be from 6 months to 5 years, depending on size and species. Another determing factor of life span is whether or not the octopus mates. Males live only for a few months after mating and the female dies shortly after the hatching of her eggs. This despite the fact that the octopus has three hearts.

The octopus has three defense mechanisms. The first is ink sacs with which they can eject a thick blackish ink in a large cloud to aid in escape. The second defense mechanism is specialized skin cells that allow for color changing and camouflage letting the octopus blend into its surroundings. The third is autotomising limbs, in the manner of certain lizards. The crawling arm serves as a distraction to a would be predator, giving the octopus its chance to escape.

The octopus is extremely intelligent. In lab experiments they have been taught to open jars. They have also been know to have boarded ships and open holds looking for crabs.