The coconut octopus also uses shells to hunt for prey. Once a coconut octopus selects a coconut shell that it likes, it will carry the shell around with it until the sea creature is ready to use it again. But while it is common for them to use foreign objects as temporary shelters, it is unusual for an animal to hang on to an object for later use as the coconut octopus does with its shells.
This octopus species typically grows up to six inches long, including the length of its tentacles, making the empty cocoons of halved coconuts and sea shells the perfect hiding spot.Īs a whole, octopus are known to be highly-intelligent creatures. Indeed, the coconut octopus is known to collect coconut shells or sea shells on the sea bed and uses the pieces to protect itself. In fact, this sea creature displays a couple of atypical behavior for invertebrates, including the use of coconuts and shells as makeshift tools. Like most octopus species, the coconut octopus has a soft body that consists of its head and eight tentacles which it uses to swim, eat, and do other activities.īut the coconut octopus has a distinct behavior that separates it from its other eight-tentacle brethren and inspired the animal’s silly moniker. This stunning cephalopod - known by its latin name Amphioctopus marginatus - is one of 300 species of octopus that have been recorded and described by scientists so far. If you are lucky, you might spot a coconut octopus in action. If you ever find yourself swimming at the bottom of the western Pacific Ocean, make sure you pay close attention to what is happening on the sea floor.
Their chromatophore cells allow them to change the skin color helping in crypsis (camouflage).
This makes them look like rolling coconuts and it deceives the predators. Due to the absence of exoskeleton, these octopuses easily fit into the shells and roll themselves.They are capable of bipedal movements and slit walking which allows them to carry their concealment tools like coconut or clam shells with the other six tentacles.
These octopuses live for around 3-5 years. At the age of 1-2 years, they attain sexual maturity. After hatching, they are usually carried out by the sea current and feed on copepods (aquatic insects) during this period. Offspring exist in planktonic form initially. She keeps the eggs in a safe corner or crevice and protects them until they hatch. So, males disguise themselves as females in order to have offspring.Īfter a period of 11 months, a female coconut octopus lays up to 100,000 eggs, each sizing less than 0.24 in (6 mm). It is quite a risky affair for the males as females are prone to eat their counterparts during mating. When the water gets warm, the male octopus passes the spermatophore with a hectocotylus (a tentacle) into the female’s mantle area. Octopus with Coconut Shell Mating and Reproduction