Explore the Collection: Molluscs
Octopus
Octopuses belong to the same group of molluscs as squid and cuttlefish (Class: Cephalopoda). Unlike most other molluscs, octopus do not posses either an internal or external shell. They have a soft body that allows them to squeeze into relatively small spaces such as crevices in reefs or among rocks.
Octopuses have eight arms (“octopus” meaning eight feet) that are lined with suckers. These arms are used to smell out, to seize and to ‘smother’ prey. Inside the mouth of an octopus are two jaws that resemble and operate like the hard beak of a parrot. Octopuses generally remain hidden during the day and emerge at the night to feed.
Did you know?
The jaws of octopuses are similar to the beaks of parrots.
Some species, such as the blue-ringed octopuses, with their distinctive pattern of bright blue rings and/or lines, produce venomous saliva that can subdue and kill prey. Although relatively small in size, they have the potential to kill an adult human.
Photos of Octopus Found in the Dampier Archipelago
Blue-ringed Octopus (Hapalochlaena sp.). Photograph: Clay Bryce, WA Museum
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