Difference between revisions of "Octopus"
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{{Taxonomy|kingdom = Animalia|phylum = Mollusca|class = Cephalopoda|subclass = Coleoidea|superorder = Octopodiformes|order = Octopoda|)}} | {{Taxonomy|kingdom = Animalia|phylum = Mollusca|class = Cephalopoda|subclass = Coleoidea|superorder = Octopodiformes|order = Octopoda|)}} | ||
| − | An '''octopus''' is a [[cephalopod]] [[mollusc]] in the order Octopoda.<ref name="brusca">Brusca, RC & Brusca GJ (2002). '''Invertebrates, 2 ed'''. Sinauer Associates Incorporated, Sunderland, MA.</ref> | + | An '''octopus''' is a [[cephalopod]] [[mollusc]] in the order Octopoda in its broadest sense, but also will refer more narrowly to groups of organisms within the family Octopodidae, or even more specifically the genus ''Octopus''.<ref name="brusca">Brusca, RC & Brusca GJ (2002). '''Invertebrates, 2 ed'''. Sinauer Associates Incorporated, Sunderland, MA.</ref> |
==Description== | ==Description== | ||
Generally less actively swimming than fellow cephalopods [[squid]] and [[cuttlefish]], an octopus has eight flexible suckered arms, used for grasping rocks and prey as well as proppelling the octopus. These are often inaccurately referred to as "tentacles", but in fact that term refers specifically to two longer extremities which cuttlefish and squid have at the front of their bodies but octopuses do not. To move, it may pull itself over the sea bed with its arms, but when in a hurry, it shoots a jet of water out of its body, thrusting it through the water. | Generally less actively swimming than fellow cephalopods [[squid]] and [[cuttlefish]], an octopus has eight flexible suckered arms, used for grasping rocks and prey as well as proppelling the octopus. These are often inaccurately referred to as "tentacles", but in fact that term refers specifically to two longer extremities which cuttlefish and squid have at the front of their bodies but octopuses do not. To move, it may pull itself over the sea bed with its arms, but when in a hurry, it shoots a jet of water out of its body, thrusting it through the water. | ||
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Octopuses, after engulfing prey in their arms, inject it with venom. Some, such as the blue-ringed octopus of Australia, are highly venomous and are capable of killing a man with their bite. | Octopuses, after engulfing prey in their arms, inject it with venom. Some, such as the blue-ringed octopus of Australia, are highly venomous and are capable of killing a man with their bite. | ||
| − | == | + | ==Octopuses as food== |
Octopus is a popular seafood, especially in [[Mediterranean]] and [[Oriental]] cuisines, though it must be cooked carefully to avoid the flesh becoming rubbery. | Octopus is a popular seafood, especially in [[Mediterranean]] and [[Oriental]] cuisines, though it must be cooked carefully to avoid the flesh becoming rubbery. | ||
| − | == | + | ==Octopuses in popular culture== |
''The Octopus'' is also the name of novel by [[Frank Norris]]. | ''The Octopus'' is also the name of novel by [[Frank Norris]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Plural== | ||
| + | While "octopi" is the popularly use plural form of "octopus" and is sometimes listed as such in dictionaries <ref name="m-w">http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/octopus</ref>, it is incorrect <ref name="fowl">Fowler, HW (1997) '''A Dictionary of Modern English Usage''' Wordsworth Editions. ISBN 1853263184</ref><ref name="colb">http://www.colby.edu/biology/BI237/Lab/Tipstowritingscience.doc</ref>, with the strictly accepted plurals being "octopuses" and "octopodes". Scholars working with cephalopods have settled on the usage of "octopuses" as plural for "octopus" in the narrow sense refering to species within the family Octopodidae<ref name="math">Mather, JA & Anderson, RC (1993) Personalities of octopuses (''Octopus rubescens''). ''Journal of Comparative Psychology'' '''107''':336-340</ref><ref name="vill">Villanueva, R; Nozias, C & Boletzky, SV (1995) The planktonic life of octopuses. ''Nature'' '''377''':107</ref><ref name="colb">Sumbre, G; Fiorito, G; Flash, T & Hochner,B (2006) Octopuses use a Human-like Strategy to Control Precise Point-topoint Arm Movements. ''Current Biology'' '''16''':767-772</ref> and "octopds" the plural to refer more broadly to all species within the order Octopoda<ref name="Voig">Voight, JR (1997) Cladistic analysis of the octopods based on anatomical characteristics. ''Journal of Molluscan Studies'' '''63''':311-325 </ref><ref name="lewy">Lewy, Z (1996) Octopods; nude ammonoids that survived the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundry mass extinction. ''Geology'' '''24''':627-630</ref><ref name="kub">Kubodera, T & Okutani, T (2004) Eledonine octopods from the Southern Ocean: systematics and distribution. ''Antarctic Science'' '''6''':205-214</ref>. | ||
| + | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
| − | {{reflist | + | {{reflist}} |
[[Category:Molluscs]] | [[Category:Molluscs]] | ||
[[Category:Seafood]] | [[Category:Seafood]] | ||
Revision as of 01:06, January 13, 2009
| Octopus | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom Information | |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum Information | |
| Phylum | Mollusca |
| Class Information | |
| Class | Cephalopoda |
| Sub-class | Coleoidea |
| Order Information | |
| Superorder | Octopodiformes |
| Order | Octopoda |
| Population statistics | |
An octopus is a cephalopod mollusc in the order Octopoda in its broadest sense, but also will refer more narrowly to groups of organisms within the family Octopodidae, or even more specifically the genus Octopus.[1]
Description
Generally less actively swimming than fellow cephalopods squid and cuttlefish, an octopus has eight flexible suckered arms, used for grasping rocks and prey as well as proppelling the octopus. These are often inaccurately referred to as "tentacles", but in fact that term refers specifically to two longer extremities which cuttlefish and squid have at the front of their bodies but octopuses do not. To move, it may pull itself over the sea bed with its arms, but when in a hurry, it shoots a jet of water out of its body, thrusting it through the water.
Octopuses use chromatophores to perfectly camouflage themselves against their background. When threatened, they can eject a cloud of ink to mask their escape. They can compress their bodies to fit through minute apertures.
Diet
Octopuses, after engulfing prey in their arms, inject it with venom. Some, such as the blue-ringed octopus of Australia, are highly venomous and are capable of killing a man with their bite.
Octopuses as food
Octopus is a popular seafood, especially in Mediterranean and Oriental cuisines, though it must be cooked carefully to avoid the flesh becoming rubbery.
Octopuses in popular culture
The Octopus is also the name of novel by Frank Norris.
Plural
While "octopi" is the popularly use plural form of "octopus" and is sometimes listed as such in dictionaries [2], it is incorrect [3][4], with the strictly accepted plurals being "octopuses" and "octopodes". Scholars working with cephalopods have settled on the usage of "octopuses" as plural for "octopus" in the narrow sense refering to species within the family Octopodidae[5][6][4] and "octopds" the plural to refer more broadly to all species within the order Octopoda[7][8][9].
References
- ↑ Brusca, RC & Brusca GJ (2002). Invertebrates, 2 ed. Sinauer Associates Incorporated, Sunderland, MA.
- ↑ http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/octopus
- ↑ Fowler, HW (1997) A Dictionary of Modern English Usage Wordsworth Editions. ISBN 1853263184
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 http://www.colby.edu/biology/BI237/Lab/Tipstowritingscience.doc Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "colb" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Mather, JA & Anderson, RC (1993) Personalities of octopuses (Octopus rubescens). Journal of Comparative Psychology 107:336-340
- ↑ Villanueva, R; Nozias, C & Boletzky, SV (1995) The planktonic life of octopuses. Nature 377:107
- ↑ Voight, JR (1997) Cladistic analysis of the octopods based on anatomical characteristics. Journal of Molluscan Studies 63:311-325
- ↑ Lewy, Z (1996) Octopods; nude ammonoids that survived the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundry mass extinction. Geology 24:627-630
- ↑ Kubodera, T & Okutani, T (2004) Eledonine octopods from the Southern Ocean: systematics and distribution. Antarctic Science 6:205-214