Mary sent me an article from PinkTentacle about instances of mutant octopi in Japan.
These creatures are rare, but every so often an octopus with extra tentacles is discovered. These octopi typically have the usual eight tentacles branching off their trunk. But then the tentacles branch out themselves, and continue to branch out, until you have something like the last specimen: an 84-limbed beast. You end up with a fractal octopus.
These creatures seem to hold their own in the wild. The first photo is of one that lived and even bred in captivity. Morgan has already disabused us of the notion of octopi being uber-intelligent. Rather, they use that abundance of neurons to control their many tentacles. I imagine those same neurons were working over time to coordinate all these extra limbs.
Thanks for the link, James, Mary, and Annica.
Photo source: PinkTentacle.com 
Aug 1, 2008
Fractal Octopi
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9 comments:
The 2nd one looks like an old tree o_o
Cthulhu?????
I just threw up in my mouth a little :s
These are soooo weird... The top one looks like two octopi that are grown together.
@ hyony - Yes it does! :P
Sorry, the finger pointing in the second photo takes all the ickiness out of it and just makes it absurd. I can't help but laugh. "In case you missed how weird this is, please direct your gaze right here."
Anyone remember the song Marty the Martian?
Well, Marty the Fractal Octopus's song would have to end Hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand,in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, in hand, IN HAND!
and probably some extra ones....
Oh my gawd WHY why why do I come here just before I'm ready to go to bed...
mental note: Look at ugly overload AFTER I wake up. sigh
wohhh - free source of fresh octopus sushi!!! keep one in your home aquarium - dinner time comes - cut a bit off - one of these mutant octopus will last more than 8 meals ~~~ more than 8 tentacles ~~~~ different sizes too ~~ deep fried so goood XDDD
Its actually a nice and helpful piece of info.
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