Study Reveals Details on How Octopus Move and Use Their Tentacles; They Have a Sophisticated Big Brain As Well

A new study focuses on movement strategies of an octopus on how they use and coordinate their tentacles as their bodies move as per the report of American Livewire news.

Published on Current Biology journal, the study contains how octopuses move with the use of its flexible arms and having a sophisticated large brain.  The study was conducted by a team of Israeli researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Lead researcher Binyamin Hochner revealed that the brains of the octopus are relatively large, highly and surprisingly developed too.  Their vision is also excellent and makes them great hunters.

The research also contains new findings on the movement of the octopuses through the waters with the use of their many tentacles and without getting each of them entangled with the other limbs.  It was observed that they move uniquely but elegantly.

Hochner said that octopuses use their locomotion strategies which are unique to their species and different from the other animals, both in water and land.  It is because of their body composed of soft mollusk which led to the strange evolution of their morphology which enables them to control their movements even without a bony skeleton.

The study's co-author Guy Lev who is also a neurobiology postdoctoral researcher added that the octopuses have lost their hard protective shells during evolution.  Shedding the shells does not make the octopus seem less vulnerable to other predators but make them make maneuvers using their tentacles.  It is due to their locomotion abilities which evolved faster than other typical mollusks and which makes them more agile.

These movements are uncommon since octopuses are born with unique symmetry on their tentacles and use a mechanism which allows them to crawl the ocean floor with thrusting their limbs.