OCTOPUS/WHEKE/FEKEOCTOPUS/WHEKE/FEKERESEARCHRESEARCH

RESEARCH BY MAPILI TALAKAIRESEARCH BY MAPILI TALAKAI

An octopus has eight arms attached to its head around the mouth. These “arms” have rows of suckers along

their length. They are covered with suckers on the surface and many nerves within, which means they are used to both grab and “taste” things. As an example, the Giant Pacific Octopus has two rows of suckers per

arm with 1,600 suckers in all. The body of the octopus looks like a bag.

APPEARANCEAPPEARANCE

It moves as the octopus breathes. Inside the mantle (the body) there are 3 hearts, the stomach and other organs. One heart pumps blood through each gill at the end of each of the two appendages. Water flows over the gills and fills the mantle when the octopus breathes in. The water is forced out a tube call the siphon as the octopus breathes out. It can force water through the siphon rapidly and jet itself backwards if the octopus is trying to escape a predator. Using jet propulsion, octopuses travel many kilometers.. 

HOW DOES IT MOVE?HOW DOES IT MOVE?

HOW DOES IT PROTECT ITSELF HOW DOES IT PROTECT ITSELF FROM PREDATORS?FROM PREDATORS?

  When an Octopus is stressed it usually changes colour to either white or red. It can instantly change the color and texture of its skin to match the surrounding area. This camouflage is a major method of protection. When an octopus is threatened and changing colour has not deterred their predator, an octopus can protect itself temporarily blinding an attacker by squirting ink at it so it can escape. This ink is kept in an ink sac that is connected to the end of the digestive system. The octopus has an excellent eyesight and well-developed brain.

HOW DOES IT CATCH IT’S HOW DOES IT CATCH IT’S PREY?PREY? Octopus have excellent eyesight and will stalk their prey in much the Octopus have excellent eyesight and will stalk their prey in much the

same way as a cat will. It hides behind rocks pouncing on same way as a cat will. It hides behind rocks pouncing on unsuspecting prey. If their prey can move, an octopus will often unsuspecting prey. If their prey can move, an octopus will often swim above it and then spread its arms parachuting onto it. In this swim above it and then spread its arms parachuting onto it. In this way the octopus uses its body like a net to catch its prey.way the octopus uses its body like a net to catch its prey.

Octopuses’ bites are poisonous to their prey.  Octopus have a sharp beak that it uses to crack shells and inject Octopus have a sharp beak that it uses to crack shells and inject

poisons and digestive fluids into shellfish and other prey.poisons and digestive fluids into shellfish and other prey. Octopus live on a diet of fish ,crustaceans and molluscs however Octopus live on a diet of fish ,crustaceans and molluscs however

their favourite food is crayfish.their favourite food is crayfish.

•Octopuses tend to be small in warm tropical waters and larger in colder waters.

•Octopuses live in all the oceans, but are strictly salt water creatures.• The Giant Pacific Octopus lives in the coastal waters of British Columbia and is the largest octopus in the world.

HABITATHABITAT

•When it comes to octopus facts, one of the more amazing ones is that it has absolutely no bones. The only structure anatomical structure is the beak around the mouth, which is similar to your fingernails. •The octopus lives on average for only a year and is considered one of the most advanced and complex species of the mollusc family.

INTERESTING FACTSINTERESTING FACTS