Originally published in Seven Mile Times' Memorial Day issue, May 19, 2017
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To me the sea is a continual miracle; The
fishes that swim, ...
A CALL TO ARMS: MEET THE OCTOPUS
Nelson the Octopus
By Dr. Lenore Tedesco of The Wetlands Institute
T
he common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) is one of the more interesting inhabitants of our local waters. Though its name suggests it’s common, people rarely see octopuses in their native environment and most people know very little about these fascinating creatures. They are delicious, of course, but I have to admit now that I know these creatures, I have a hard time including them among my menu choices. Octopuses are remarkable creatures and Nelson, the resident octopus in The Wetlands Institute aquarium, is really special and provides a great opportunity for you to get up close and personal and learn all about them. Octopuses are often captured as bycatch by fishermen, and this is how we came to have Nelson. Octopus mythology and symbolism is abundant through history, with the Kraken being legendary sea monsters that attack ships. The Kraken has been a mainstay in popular culture for years and continues to appear in literature and movies. Hank, the septopus (he lost one of his arms) in “Finding Dory,” helped bring more awareness about the wonders of octopus adaptations. I wanted to share some fun facts and information about common octopus to introduce you to one of our local inhabitants! Most folks
I speak with are surprised they live here. Nelson is especially charismatic. I invite you to explore some facts about our local octopus and then come and visit Nelson. Octopuses are mollusks that eat meat and typically hunt at dusk. Their favorite food includes crabs, clams and mussels, but they will eat almost anything they can catch. Octopuses have a hard “beak” that they can use to crush shells. They also catch prey in their powerful webbed arms with double rows of suckers. The suckers have a super sticky surface on each disk to help grasp Nelson greeting visitors in the aquarium.
prey. Similar to how sharks shed teeth, octopuses also shed the outer layer of skin on their suckers, making them super sticky again. Once they have captured their prey, they can then paralyze them with a nerve poison that is present in the octopus saliva. They are a cosmopolitan species, meaning they are widely distributed, and can be found in all of the oceans in both tropical and temperate areas. The common octopus varies widely in size from only about 12 inches long all the way up to 3 feet long. Nelson is only
about 12 inches long. Other species not found locally can be much larger. They live only about 1-2 years and die shortly after mating. The female can lay up to 200,000 eggs a few months after mating. Scientists estimate that less than 1 percent of the eggs laid by common octopuses will live to adulthood. Octopuses are pretty unique animals, starting with their body shape. They have large bulbous heads (mantel), large eyes, and of course – eight arms with suction cups. They have other pretty interesting features as well. For example, they have three hearts; their blood is copper-based, not iron; and they absorb oxygen through their skin. Octopuses can use jet propulsion to get around, where they force water through their bulbous mantel. Octopuses are very good at hiding to protect themselves from other predators. They can fit into remarkably small spaces, making them hard to see if they don’t want to be noticed. They collect shells and other objects to build fortresses around their lairs. Looking somewhat like Davey Jones protecting his locker, Nelson definitely practices this behavior. Octopuses also have a defense mechanism that includes squirting a cloud of ink into the water. The ink contains a substance that dulls a predator’s sense of smell, helping to further confuse a pursuing continued on page 56
Memorial Day 2017
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