The coastal waters of the Pacific are fraught with many dangers. For example, a blue-ringed octopus (hapalochlaena) is found here. A meeting with this representative of the underwater world can be fatal even for a person, since there is no antidote to his poison. But the beauty of this creature fascinates and attracts attention. Although for the rest of the underwater creatures, it is a warning of danger.
What will biologists talk about?
The blue-ringed octopus is a cephalopod of the octopus family. The first description was made by Guy Robson, around 1929. Three species of these mollusks are reliably known, but a fourth, unexplored species is supposed to exist:
- The big octopus is blue-ringed.
- Southern blue-octopus.
- The octopus is blue-striped.
The species, whose existence remains in doubt, is called Hapalochlaena nierstraszi in Latin. It was discovered in 1938, but only one individual caught the eye of the researchers, and scientists could not get repeated material for the study.
Appearance Features
A blue-ringed octopus is a small creature. On average, it weighs about 100 g with a body length of not more than twenty cm. However, the mollusk is very aggressive and fabulously beautiful. His skin is tan. About six dozen blue or blue rings with a black rim are drawn on it with bright ornament. Therefore, sometimes the name is blue-ringed (blue-ringed) octopus. This proves that the rings of the inhabitant of the depths come in different shades.
When a small clam gets angry, its skin becomes covered with brown spots, and the rings become brighter and more noticeable. This reaction is not unique to octopus. The blue-octopus octopus, like other types of cephalopods, has special cells that produce a chromatophore. However, other species use this feature for disguise, not for intimidation.
Structural features
All octopuses have a short soft body, the back of which is oval. The mouth, or rather the mouth opening with powerful beak-like jaws, is located at the convergence point of the tentacles. In the depths of the pharynx is a special organ called the radula. It looks like a grater for chopping food. By the way, the mollusk's tentacles have 8 pieces. They are long, interconnected by a membrane and equipped with several rows of suction cups.
The blue-ringed octopus has a mantle that covers the anus. And he, like other octopuses, has 3 hearts. One supplies blood to the body, and the other two push blood through the gills.
The blue-octopus does not have bones in the body. This allows him to easily change the shape of the body, flattening at the bottom or seeping into small holes. The structural feature helps to loot the prey.
And a handsome man is able to regenerate. The mollusk often loses tentacles in fights and can grow new ones.
Where can I meet a blue-eyed handsome man?
As already mentioned, the blue-ringed octopus is a resident of the Pacific Ocean. The greatest probability of meeting a poisonous beauty exists in the coastal waters of Australia. This type of octopus is found off the coast of the Japanese islands, in the coastal waters of Indonesia, near the Philippines and New Guinea. A vague fourth species caught in the Bay of Bengal.
What does it eat?
The ocean has prepared a fairly extensive menu for the cephalopod predator. A blue-ringed octopus hunts for shrimp, hermit crabs, small fish and crabs. According to hunting habits, these mollusks resemble spiders. Of course, octopuses do not weave nets, they pounce on small animals, pierce (bite through) protective shells, and inject poison into the body. The victim is paralyzed, she loses the ability to resist, and the tissues of her body gradually soften. The octopus can only suck the pulp out of the shell.
Propagation Features
During the mating season, the male is overexcited and constantly ready for mating. Often he loses control over himself and the females have to push the partner away. Mating ends with fertilization, after which the female makes the only clutch in her short life, which she will look after for up to six months. All this time, the female is left without food.
A large blue-ringed octopus lays eggs in a hole, and a southern blue-ringed octopus attaches them to the tentacles. A week and a half after the appearance of the young, when the babies begin to eat on their own, the female octopus dies of exhaustion.
Octopus and man
A small cephalopod with a beautiful pattern on the skin is an insanely dangerous creature. Its poison can kill more than 20 people. The neuroparalytic effect of toxins leads to suffocation. Therefore, immediately after a bite, you need to seek help. Doctors say that if a person has not died in the first day after a bite, then he can survive.
Many exotic lovers are wondering if the blue-ringed octopus is compatible with the home aquarium. Experts do not recommend keeping such dangerous animals at home, but, nevertheless, every year several thousand copies fall on the markets of America and Europe.
If a person decided to tickle his nerves and run a blue-ringed octopus into the aquarium, then he should be ready for trouble. The clam is smart, and will try to get out of captivity. He will live in captivity for a very short time - several weeks or months. The predator will not get along with any of the usual inhabitants of the aquarium. And no matter how careful the owner, there will always be a guest or relative who wants to take a closer look at the handsome man and will be attacked. So it’s not worth the risk.