Octopuses have the ability to squeeze through very small openings thanks to their soft and flexible body devoid of an internal skeleton, which allows them to deform and pass through tight spaces.
Octopuses have an extremely flexible and elastic body. Their anatomy is primarily formed by a soft mantle containing their essential organs and directly connected to very flexible arms. Thanks to their anatomical structure composed almost entirely of muscles and soft tissues without major solid elements, they can effortlessly deform and flatten to pass through surprisingly narrow spaces. Their body is designed to radically change shape in a matter of seconds, allowing them to infiltrate tiny openings, hide from predators, or even catch prey in unlikely hiding spots.
Octopuses have absolutely no bones, which allows them incredible contortion feats. Essentially, they are as soft as a giant piece of chewing gum with only a rigid beak at the center of their body. This beak is their only real limitation: as long as the opening is larger than it, they can pass through. Without a skeleton, their bodies become highly adaptable, able to easily squeeze through tiny holes and crevices without getting hurt. This flexibility thus gives them astonishing movement and escape capabilities, far superior to those of animals with rigid bony structures.
Octopuses have highly developed muscles arranged all around their bodies, like a flexible network. Thanks to these very dense muscle fibers, they can contract, stretch, and reshape easily and precisely. In addition, they have stretchy skin, which is very elastic and can stretch significantly without tearing. This skin-muscle combination allows the octopus to easily adapt its shape to tight spaces by instantly compressing or elongating its body. It's like a soft pouch that can quickly change in size and shape according to the needs of the moment.
Octopuses have an unusual, highly decentralized nervous system: basically, their main brain controls the big decisions, but a good portion of quick decisions is made directly by neurons located in their arms. Each arm has its own local nerve network with a lot of autonomy. As a result, the arms can act independently to probe, explore, and maneuver with precision, without the central brain needing to micro-manage everything. This organization allows them hyper-precise body control to slip through the narrowest openings, almost as if their limbs have their own intelligence.
Scientists have observed octopuses easily passing through openings barely larger than their eye, the only hard part of their body. You can even find amazing videos online of octopuses in aquariums passing effortlessly through small holes drilled in their tank. A famous case: a New Zealand octopus named Inky escaped in the middle of the night from its aquarium by squeezing through a very narrow drainpipe, clearly demonstrating their ability to slip through tiny spaces. Another concrete example: researchers have seen that some octopuses can fit through holes about 2 to 3 centimeters in diameter, even though they can easily measure several tens of centimeters when they extend their arms. Quite an impressive skill, right?
The elastic and muscular skin of octopuses allows them to slip through the narrowest openings, sometimes even through holes just a few centimeters in diameter, as long as their rigid beak can pass through.
Unlike most animals, the octopus has neurons not only in its central brain but also directly in its tentacles, allowing them to instinctively decide how to move each one independently.
Octopuses are surprisingly intelligent: some species are capable of using tools, such as using shells for shelter from predators.
Did you know that octopuses can change color instantly to camouflage themselves using specialized cells called chromatophores?
Thanks to a highly developed nervous system, the octopus precisely controls each of its arms and its muscular mantle. This fine motor control allows it not only to quickly assess possible openings but also to adapt its positioning and shape in real time.
To some extent, yes. However, the exact capacity varies by species and particularly depends on their overall size as well as the size of their beak, the unique hard structure of their anatomy.
Absolutely! Young octopuses, smaller in size, can exploit particularly confined spaces, allowing them to more effectively evade predators and hunt for prey in hard-to-reach habitats.
Sure! Here’s the translation: "Yes, but it's a real challenge! It's essential to have a properly covered aquarium with a well-secured lid, as octopuses are escape artists, capable of exploiting the slightest crack or opening to make their escape."
No, this process is not painful for them. Thanks to the extreme flexibility of their skin, the elasticity of their muscles, and the complete absence of a rigid skeleton, they perform these movements with ease and without pain.
Generally, an adult octopus can squeeze through any opening wide enough to allow its beak to pass through, which is the only rigid part of its body. This means that a relatively large octopus can often fit through a space that is only a few centimeters in diameter.
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