What is the structure of a blue-ringed octopus?
What is the structure of a blue-ringed octopus?
Greater blue-ringed octopuses have a soft sac-like body and eight sucker-covered arms. Their body background color at rest is usually tan to dark yellow. or occasionally gray. Up to 25 faint blue rings as large as 8 mm (0.3 in) in diameter cover the dorsal surface, mantle, and extend out over the arms.
Do blue-ringed octopus have gills?
The name ‘blue-ringed octopus’ does not actually refer to a single species, but rather a genus of species, all with the circular, iridescent blue markings for which they are named. Octopuses have three hearts, with a central heart and one over each gill. These gills in turn are suspended in a cavity under the body.
Does a blue-ringed octopus have an exoskeleton?
Like all octopods, the blue-ringed octopus has no skeleton and is thus very flexible and maneuverable. It can squeeze into tiny crevices and make dens in bottles, aluminum cans, or mollusk shells. Using its bird-like beak, the octopus bites a hole through its victim’s shell to inject toxic saliva.
What part of the blue-ringed octopus is poisonous?
Blue-ringed octopi have venom called tetrodotoxin, or TTX. This is one of the most serious and deadly types of venom found in the ocean. The octopi’s salivary glands produce the venom, and the bacteria gets dispersed through their beak.
How does the blue-ringed octopus camouflage?
The blue-ringed octopus uses their dermal chromatophore cells to camouflage themselves until provoked, at which point it quickly changes color, becoming bright yellow with blue rings. Either the poison is expelled in the saliva into the water or the octopus bites its prey or predator.
Who has died from blue-ringed octopus?
Deaths due to a blue-ringed octopus bite are extremely rare. There have only been 3 known deaths. Many more people have been bitten but survived.
Do blue-ringed octopus have predators?
Their common predators include whales, eels, and some birds. The Hapalochlaena most commonly eats shrimp, injured fish, and small crustaceans such as crab. To catch their food, the octopus pounces and pierces their prey’s exoskeleton with their rostrum to deliver venom.
Can you eat a blue ringed octopus?
The blue-ringed octopus contains a very dangerous venom that cannot be neutralised by cooking, as the poison is heat resistant up to 200º Celsius,” he said. …
What is the life cycle of a blue ringed octopus?
Biology. The life cycle of the southern blue-ringed octopus, from mating through to the eggs hatching and the young reaching maturity, lasts for approximately seven months. The eggs are carried by the female throughout their development, which lasts for around two months, and the female does not eat during this time.
What are facts about the blue ringed octopus?
The blue ringed octopus is usually light brown to dark yellow in colour but it rapidly changes to vivid yellow-brown with iridescent blue rings when agitated. It can grow to a maximum length of 20 centimetres when the tentacles are stretched out and weigh up to 100 grams, depending on the species.
What are the characteristics of the blue ringed octopus?
Special features of the blue ringed octopus include: ability to fit into very small places including under rocks, in cracks on the reef, in tidal pools and inside shells, bottles, cans and other detritus on the sea floor.
How are blue-ringed octopuses poisonous?
The blue-ringed octopus produces the venom tetrodotoxin. The venom is produced in the saliva of an octopus. So when an octopus bites a human the venom is passed from its mouth to the victim’s body. As the tetrodotoxin is a neurotoxin it blocks transmitting signals through the nerve.
