Friday 24 February 2012

Amazing Adaptation - Camouflaging Octopus



I was awed by a short video clip that I watched on the Internet the other day. It was a video of a camouflaging octopus.

Octopuses are cephalopods that have several adaptations for blending in with their undersea habitats. They can change colour, pattern and even the shape of their skin.

Why do octopuses need to camouflage themselves? Well, they are scrumptious feasts for sting rays and sharks. When the predators of the octopuses are around, the octopuses can shape-shift in moments to completely change heir appearance. Sacs of yellow, red, brown and black pigment called chromatophores cover their bodies and allow them to change colours and patterns by contracting their muscles. Tightening certain muscles can also transform the texture of their skin from smooth to rough.

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