Mollusk Discovery

I only recently learned that octopuses, which are part of the group known as Cephalopods (alongside squids, nautiluses, and cuttlefish), are actually MOLLUSKS!

It's super cool. 

  And there is a certain Cephalopod which I find to be incredibly interesting, not to mention beautiful:
the Blanket Octopus.

• These incredible creatures, which truly do resemble silk blankets floating through the ocean, are scientifically known as Tremoctopus violaceus.

Its full taxonomy, sufficiently lengthy and extravagant to match the creature itself, is Animalia Mollusca Cephalopoda Tremoctopodidae Tremoctopus.

 Even just looking at these simple, still photos -- even without seeing the creatures actually in motion -- it is easy to see both where they got their name, and how lovely they are.








As a group, Cephalopods have a number of marked characteristics:

• They swim with jet propulsion.
• They have a parrot-like beak at the center of their tentacles.
• They have large, well-developed eyes and remarkable vision, particularly in areas with low light.
• The coloration of Cephalopods varies, but they generally have passive and/or active camoflauge.
• Also, they are able to make a dark in cloud.
• They are active hunters with a wide diet.
• They breed in shallow or surface water by means of the male delivering a sperm packet.

What's more, the Blanket Octopus is far from the only beautiful or bizarre Cephalopod; they're all unique and frightfully interesting, particularly in their coloring and intelligence.

For example, take the Blue-ringed Octopus:

These beautiful octopuses are found in the Pacific, and are among the most venomous creatures in the world.  They are absolutely minuscule (around five inches) and yet a single one has enough venom to kill up to 26 grown humans!

Of course, it isn't just octopuses that are so gloriously decorated (although they alone can change the literal texture of their skin).  Squid, for example, can literally flash light.  Cuttlefish can change their colors into fantastic patterns.

The Flamboyant Cuttlefish is a prime example of this magnifiscent coloration:

These creatures are found in the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific region, in shallower depths.  Adept hunters, these venomous Cephalopods seem to able along the seafloor.

There are octopuses which can change themselves to look like other creatures, or to look exactly like their surroundings.  There are cuttlefish, as well, which can alter their own appearances to look exactly like the opposite sex of their own species.

. . . The silk tapestry remeniscent body of the Blanket Octopus is thought to be its defense mechanism, meant to intimidate predators. 

To see a video of this beautiful display, click here!