Coconut-Carrying Octopuses And Their Komic Kin
Posted by: Loren Coleman on December 16th, 2009
Not cryptozoological, but the first video evidence of an invertebrate (we are being told) using a tool. I do remember those scifi movies about giant octopuses using submarines in whatever way they wish, but, well, those are all science fiction, right?
This newest video of a galloping mollusk gave me some ideas on what else might be out there.
Needless to say, Phillip Blackman has already shown us his Lovecraft, “An Octopus Opening a Can of Zebras.”
Of course, there must be others. How about a tool-using squid, like Jackhammer Jill, drawn by Adam Koford.
Anyone else?
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Getting that thing around was impressive enough. I’m not surprised at all. It doesn’t take too much brain power to realize that the coconut shell is harder that he is. Not to mention the octopus are creatures that love being in little nooks and crannies. That is one it can travel with. Besides, what is to say that they need bones to have intelligence?
Wow. The octopus is smarter than half of the people I know.
This is why I don’t eat and believe it is wrong to eat octopus…theyd probably be further ahead of us if they only had a way of passing information on to their young..
I understand why one would assume that the octopus is using logic and problem solving, but I can’t help but see a big hermit crab…… in the very least, hermits should get credit for tool use by invertebrates as well. I would venture a guess that most marine biologists would not consider an octopus and a crab to be on the same intellectual level and I would bet the crabs thought of it first.
Crabs vs Octopus? I will go with the hermit crab. Surely his use of shells for a home and defence came before the octopus using a coconut shell for armour. But bravo to the Octopus as well. Love the article. Fascinating…Truly fascinating.
Crapple:
Personally I have no trouble eating Octopus. That’s me, of course. What they do is called “genetic memory.” Just like a lot of what WE humans do is passed along through “genetics.”
Still a wonderful post and a great example of natural ingenuity.
Cryptidsrus- That is actually not accurate. Octopuses do not show merely “genetic memory.” They have shown a high degree of problem solving, cognition, and capacity for learned bahaviors.
For instance octopuses have been known to figure out how to unlock complex mechanisms, open jars, and learn how to perform other complicated tasks. They also exhibit behavior such as begging for food, which is a learned behavior. They will go to a specific place in the tank where they expect the food will be and give visual cues such as “pacing” back and forth, turning a bright red color, and so on. Octopuses can also be trained almost like a dog, even to do quite complex tasks.
Perhaps the most interesting demonstration of their mental capabilities is their ability to learn behaviors by watching others. There have been several experiments that have shown that octopuses can observe other octopuses perform a task and then learn how to do it merely through this observation. This takes a good amount of mental functioning.
This is all certainly not “genetic memory.” In fact, the level of cognitive functioning being exhibited by these creatures has led scientists to increasingly realize that these creatures have the largest brains among invertebrates for a reason.
Intelligent or not, I still enjoy a good plate of octopus sashimi on occassion.
Well Octopi may be smart, but can they do Algebra…I think not, but then again neither can I, so what does that say.
Mystery_Man:
Thanks for the information. Did not know that.
BTW—I once had octopus sashimi, as a matter of fact. GOOD!
JMonkey:
LOL.