Octopuses Seen Hunting Together with Fish

Monday, September 23, 2024

Octopuses don't always hunt alone -- but their partners aren't who you'd expect. A new study shows that some members of the species Octopus cyanea maraud around the seafloor in hunting groups with fish ...

Posted by GalaxiePete at 05:33 PM | 20 COMMENTS | permalink

Comments

Scuba enthusiasts take note.

#1 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2024-09-23 03:47 PM

The octopus is intelligent AF. Nothing I could learn about them would surprise me.

#2 | Posted by lfthndthrds at 2024-09-23 05:52 PM

Agreed on Octopus intelligence. They are amazingly smart - especially considering how short they live.

#3 | Posted by GalaxiePete at 2024-09-23 06:17 PM

Cue debate on what the correct plural form of octopus is.

#4 | Posted by sentinel at 2024-09-23 07:27 PM

@#2 ... The octopus is intelligent AF. ...

Yup.

Why the Octopus Brain is so Extraordinary (no date on the article and video)
ocean.si.edu

... An octopus is a lot brainier than you might imagine considering one of its closest living relatives is a sea slug.

In fact, some scientists argue it could be the first intelligent being on the planet.

They can complete puzzles, untie knots, open jars and toddler proof cases, and are expert escape artists from aquariums.

Even more fascinating -- their intelligence stems from a completely unrelated path to human intelligence, and about two-thirds of their neurons are in their arms, not their head. ...

I've seen PBS programs about the problem-solving abilities of octopi (if you solve crossword puzzles, you'll know that octopi is another accepted pural for octopus :) )

#5 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-09-23 07:58 PM

@#4 ... Cue debate on what the correct plural form of octopus is. ...

From my Random House Unabridged Dictionary (circa, the 1990's) both octopuses and octopi are accepted.

#6 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-09-23 08:03 PM

---------, I presume.

#7 | Posted by ClownShack at 2024-09-23 08:08 PM

@#5 ... if you solve crossword puzzles, you'll know that octopi is another accepted pural for octopus :) ...

... and the clue is typically, ~ink squirters.~

That leads to octopi or squid as the answer.

Of course, it is squid or squids?

With this one, the dictionary is a bit more specific...

...
squid (skwid), n., pl. (esp. collectively) squid, (esp. referring to two or more kinds or species) squids.
...

#8 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-09-23 08:09 PM

I'm glad I spent the time to watch a documentary a friend recommended, "My Octopus Teacher."

Official Trailer:
www.youtube.com

#9 | Posted by AMERICANUNITY at 2024-09-23 08:09 PM

@#9

Yeah.

Humans have devised the ~measure of intelligence~ goal posts such that humans always seem to com out on top.

But what if those goal posts were moved, maybe to define intelligence as the ability of a species to survive, and not the ability to fill in squares on a test?

I doubt if that redefinition would ever make the light of day because ... cockroaches would come out near the top of the list.

#10 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-09-23 08:16 PM

Octopi is not a real word.

#11 | Posted by sentinel at 2024-09-24 07:00 AM

Octopi is not a real word.

#11 | Posted by sentinel at 2024-09-24 07:00 AM | Reply

You're not doing something right.

#12 | Posted by lfthndthrds at 2024-09-24 03:19 PM

"Like the octopus itself, the English language is, in many cases, very flexible: both octopuses and octopi are acceptable and commonly used plural forms of octopus (despite what anyone on the internet may say)."

www.dictionary.com

#13 | Posted by YAV at 2024-09-24 03:24 PM

Now let's think about how this octopus' knowledge gets spread among peers and passed down, especially considering that octomoms don't survive to teach their young.
There's more going on out there than we have a clue about. Best to tread lightly.

#14 | Posted by morris at 2024-09-24 03:32 PM

So a team effort like this it looks like the fish have been... schooled.

So should we call it an...octopod?

#15 | Posted by Tor at 2024-09-24 03:34 PM

The correct answer is... octopus.

#16 | Posted by sentinel at 2024-09-24 06:13 PM

One octopus, two octopus, etc.

#17 | Posted by sentinel at 2024-09-24 06:14 PM

So a team effort like this it looks like the fish have been... schooled.
So should we call it an...octopod?
#15 | Posted by Tor at 2024-09-24 03:34 PM

Cute. This feels correct.

Notice the two large downward-facing whiskers on goat fish. They can detect animals beneath them, making them excellent at targeting and flushing prey.

Considering we observe an octopod hunt including ten different fish from multiple species indicates specialization cooperation.

#18 | Posted by redlightrobot at 2024-09-24 08:51 PM

The octopus might even be re-enforcing learned behavior to utilize specialization.

The best middle-manager in the ocean. Deserves a pay raise, imo.

#19 | Posted by redlightrobot at 2024-09-24 08:53 PM

Good to know that after we humans destroy our planet, and ourselves, there will be intelligent life somewhere.

#20 | Posted by Hughmass at 2024-09-25 07:12 AM

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