The octopus is a cephalopod of the order Octopoda that
inhabits many diverse regions of the ocean, especially
coral reefs. The term may also refer to only those creatures
in the genus Octopus. In the larger sense, there are 289
different octopus species, which is over one-third the
total number of cephalopod species. Octopuses are characterized
by their eight arms, usually with sucker cups on them.
Unlike most other cephalopods, the majority of octopuses
— those in the suborder most commonly known, Incirrina
— have almost entirely soft bodies; they have neither
a protective outer shell like the nautilus, nor any vestige
of an internal shell or bones, like cuttlefish or squids.
A beak, similar in shape to a parrot's beak, is their
only hard part. This enables them to squeeze through very
narrow slits between underwater rocks, which is very helpful
when they are fleeing from morays or other predating fish.
|
