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Tool-Using Octopus

By: Aubrey Moulton

Maybe we should nickname it the Coconut Octopus. Okay, so it is not actually called that. It is the Indonesian Veined Octopus. And only this week scientists in Australia noticed a very unique behavior exhibited by this particular member of the Cephalopod class. It has long been a matter of record that octopuses are the smartest of the invertebrates. Taking cover in shells is not new for these creatures. Such behavior has been tracked numerous times. But that situation takes place when the octopus is threatened and there is a shell at hand. Taking an item to use later is what makes this coconut gathering conduct extraordinary.
The strange manner of moving inevitably adopted to transport the ungainly item would seem to put the invertebrate in greater danger. Of course, octopuses are incredibly nimble. If attacked while carrying this half of a coconut shell, it could perhaps defend itself by fitting underneath and pulling the hard surface up for cover. It might require an equally cunning or stronger predator to get to the concealed octopus.
Scientists had no notion that such deliberate behavior was employed by invertebrates. And the sight of an octopus scampering as far as 65 feet (or 20 meters) with the object in tow is unforgettable, judging from eyewitness accounts. Having this scheme to cart off half a coconut to a specified locality and then fetch another half to the same place to use as refuge is known as “tool use.” This creature of the ocean has figured out how to use these discarded coconut halves as a hide-out. Thus, the garbage on the ocean floor is turned into tools for survival. Who knew?
So, with the current excitement regarding these invertebrates, let’s check out our understanding of them. The octopus a part of the cephalopod class, comprising approximately 33 percent of the members of this group. It is loosely related to clams and snails. The octopus is hunted by sperm whales, seals, fish, such as eels, and sea birds. They are by far the most intelligent in their biological family, the brain being composed of nearly 500 million large neurons. For comparison, the human brain contains 100 billion smaller neurons. Octopuses are solitary. The life expectancy for a quick and healthy male octopus is just 3-5 years. A female has a shorter life span, since she goes into a period of fasting after she lays her eggs. She does not eat so that she can stay to protect the 2,000-3,000 eggs she has just deposited. When they hatch, the self-sacrificing mother has just died of starvation. And do you know how many hearts an octopus has? They have 3 times the number of hearts that humans do. A lost arm will grow back. And those suction cup-like parts of their arms contain olfactory sensors to help the octopus smell. Picture sniffing something with your arm. Octopuses are quite amazing, really. But the coconut gatherer is certain to make you smile as you watch it toe-step with its prize while it scuttles across to its sandy home.

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