Ocean Intelligence: Why the Octopus is Exceptional
Gita Anand ‘28
Staff Writer
Ocean Intelligence: Why the Octopus is Exceptional
World Octopus Day takes place annually on October 8th. Octopuses are fascinating animals that have been evolving alongside us for centuries. They have a multitude of abilities, individual personalities, and a vast emotional intelligence. Not enough effort has been put in to understand and protect these incredible creatures, so here are some interesting (and bizarre) facts about the octopus.
Octopuses have no skeleton or bone structure. Like most cephalopods, octopuses lost their shells due to evolution. Their skin texture is similar to that of a snail, and they can fit into the tiniest spaces because their bodies are so fluid. Many octopuses will temporarily inhabit discarded shells or tiny cave crevices where they cannot be reached by predators. In the 2024 documentary “Secrets of the Octopus,” a small coconut octopus was recorded carrying around an old glass bottle as its transportable home.
Octopuses have complex nervous systems. An octopus has three hearts and a nervous system that spans across nine brains: one central brain in its head and one in each arm. Each of an octopus’s eight arms has over 200 suckers that are all simultaneously capable of touch, taste, smell, and even emotion. Octopuses can process and act based on these perceptions and contain levels of environmental understanding that humans simply cannot fathom.
Octopuses are natural shapeshifters. Octopuses never stay in one place for long, so their survival tactics must be sharp. Because ocean temperatures fluctuate so much, octopuses have the ability to gene-code or edit RNA as a response to environmental shifts. Octopuses have both DNA and RNA genetic codes, but RNA (unlike DNA) is fleeting. Octopuses can temporarily edit their genetic code to adjust their body temperature, skin color, and skin texture so they can blend into any climate within milliseconds. Not only does this make them masters of instant camouflage, but it also shows how the environment can impact their genetic information.
Octopuses can communicate to other creatures with their skin. The ability to edit RNA is not just helpful with camouflage; octopuses can flash colors and grow horns on their head to portray aggression, desire, agitation, or dominance. Both male and female octopuses can declare intent to mate through this method, and venomous octopuses rely on their vibrant colors to scare off predators. The blue-ringed octopus’s bite, for example, can kill a human within three minutes. It can brightly flash its neon blue rings as it swims by, confident that neither predator nor prey will dare antagonize it.
Octopuses can regrow lost limbs. If an octopus is forced into a dangerous situation, there is a defense mechanism in place that lets them self-amputate. For example, if a predator manages to clamp onto an arm, the octopus can detach itself and jet away. The solitary arm can keep moving independently to distract the predator while the octopus makes its escape and finds a place to heal. Depending on lifespan and age, regeneration can take anywhere from 3-18 months.
Octopuses can use tools. Firstly, octopuses have built-in siphons — versatile, tube-like organs on the side of an octopus’s head. These let them move quickly or jet away in a cloud of dark ink, as portrayed in media like the film “Finding Dory”. The siphons also help them clean themselves in elaborate routines, as well as create circulation for females to keep their eggs clean and safe. They also use external tools, such as coconut husks, crab shells and rocks, as weapons and armor. There are many documented cases of octopuses hijacking recording equipment from scuba divers and handling the cameras with care and curiosity. The 2021 documentary “The Giant Pacific Octopus: An Intelligence Unlike Anything Else” features a female octopus in captivity who could disassemble Lego pieces in a couple of minutes, showing complex problem-solving skills.
Octopuses may be able to dream. This is not yet a scientifically proven fact, but research has shown evidence of REM in sleeping cuttlefish, a cousin of the octopus. There are documented records of octopuses rapidly changing color, sometimes even flashing complex color patterns in their sleep. While this has not been researched thoroughly enough to be proven true, these creatures clearly rival us in intelligence and emotion. It is not so crazy to think they would rival us in active subconsciousness as well.
Octopuses are often compared to aliens on Earth, but they are really not so different from us. They are sentient creatures that can think for themselves. They hunt, play, strategize, and maybe even dream, just like humans do. The primary difference is that they are too antisocial and their lifespans are too short to disrupt each other’s peace.