Lifehacks

How do coconut octopuses reproduce?

How do coconut octopuses reproduce?

When the water gets warm, the male octopus passes the spermatophore with a hectocotylus (a tentacle) into the female’s mantle area. So, males disguise themselves as females in order to have offspring. After a period of 11 months, a female coconut octopus lays up to 100,000 eggs, each sizing less than 0.24 in (6 mm).

Is the coconut octopus poisonous?

Just like all other octopus species, the coconut octopus has a venomous bite, and one bite will quickly paralyse its prey. Although they are venomous, the venom poses no threat to humans, unlike their more (unfairly) infamous relative, the ‘blue ringed octopus’.

Where are coconut octopus found?

Amphioctopus marginatus, also known as the coconut octopus and veined octopus, is a medium-sized cephalopod belonging to the genus Amphioctopus. It is found in tropical waters of the western Pacific Ocean.

Why is it called the coconut octopus?

The coconut octopus gets its unique name from the way it makes dens out of discarded and hollowed out coconut shells found in muddy waters along the coastal seafloor.

How many tentacles does a coconut octopus have?

Coconut Octopus have dark markings stretching across their skin and extremely bright suckers. Each of the eight tentacles is very wide for catching prey, and has a sharp beak for eating shrimp, fish and crustaceans. Compared to others, the coconut octopus is fairly small and juveniles exist in planktonic form.

How big is a fully grown coconut octopus?

Coconut Octopus Facts for Kids. An arm span of a fully grown octopus can be as long as 50 centimeters. Coconut octopus lays up to 100,000 eggs. Coconut octopus is widely distributed across tropical waters of western Pacific as well as the Indian Ocean. Its range is found from southern Japan and all the way up to New Guinea and Australia.

How long does it take for an octopus to mate?

Octopus mating is a one-time thing for just about all of the species. The males often die within a couple of months just after they finally have found a mate. The females often die shortly after they are able to lay their eggs.

What makes a coconut octopus different from other octopuses?

One of the most distinctive features of the coconut octopus is its suckers. They are almost white and really stick out when the creature has assumed a darker color. The contrast in colors between its body and its suckers can create a fluorescent effect for the suckers.

How does a coconut octopus swim through water?

The coconut octopus can funnel water through its siphon to create streams of water that can propel it at high speed in the blink of an eye. This is perfect when the coconut octopus has to flee from danger. It can also swim through the water using its arms to propel itself. This is an energy-efficient way to coast from spot to spot.