You’ve probably noticed Batman’s legendary Batmobile: black, sleek, and designed especially for maneuvering the chaotic streets of Gotham City. His iconic vehicle is known for adapting to different urban scenarios, even to the point of using camouflage.
In a way, Octopuses are like the Batmobile. They are masters of quick adaptive camouflage, sleekly and quickly maneuvering their way through the ocean waters while blending effortlessly with their surroundings.
And while camouflage is common in the Animal Kingdom, it’s the type that Octopuses are capable of that even humans can’t copy: dynamic camouflage.
“NOW YOU SEE ME, NOW YOU DON’T”
By now, you might already be aware of how smart Octopuses are — and their ability to keep changing how they look as they hover from one marine background to another is not only visually impressive, but also intellectually inspired.
According to Noam Josef and his colleagues in a study published in PLoS ONE, predation has had a significant role in the evolution of Octopuses’ protective strategies, such as cryptic coloration and camouflage. To avoid being eaten up by larger animals, they’ve escaped attention through dynamic camouflage.
Based on their highly developed visual system, Octopuses use a unique technique known as background matching, or crypsis, to blend in with their environment in a second. The way they change their colors happens quickly due to the relationship between their highly integrated brain and skin network.
Their keen vision and sophisticated skin cells allow them to change their body patterns and blend in with a variety of settings, including seagrass meadows, sand or mud plains, kelp forests, and Coral Reefs.
WHAT’S THE CAMO-SKIN MADE OF?
Three layers of specialized skin cells allow Octopuses to quickly camouflage, according to Ryan Gilmore and colleagues in their 2016 paper for Nature Education.
CHROMATOPHORES
The chromatophores are the outermost layer. They contain a range of colored pigments, such as yellow, orange, red, brown, and black.
IRIDOPHORES
The subsequent skin layer, composed of iridophores, is capable of creating iridescent displays. This layer coordinates with the chromatophore layer to rapidly modify the overall color and pattern for purposes of protection and communication.
LEUCOPHORES
Lastly, leucophores regulate the overall brightness situated beneath the iridophore layer.
HOW SMART ARE OCTOPUSES?
A recent behavioral study by Alexandra Schnell and co-researchers in Frontiers for Young Minds reported that because of Octopuses’ sea smarts, they can forage well, play, solve problems, and defend themselves.
THEY HAVE A BRAIN… AND THEN SOME
Octopuses, including other Cephalopods like Squids and Cuttlefish, have the highest brain-to-body ratios among invertebrates.
Octopuses have a central brain situated between their eyes that directs their actions by neural cluster transmissions. Each of their tentacles also has a small brain that can independently act to start looking for food, gather sensory and positional information, and direct movements independently without direction from the central brain, according to Tamar Gutnick and team’s Current Biology report.
THEY CAN USE TOOLS
Perhaps you’ve seen Dolphins, Apes, and Monkeys using tools — Octopuses use them, too! Among invertebrates, Octopuses and a handful of Insects have been seen using tools.
In a widely-shared YouTube video by Poussin Diver in 2015, an Octopus cleverly brought two coconut halves together and effortlessly slipped inside. This behavior is a notable indicator of their ability to learn as well as play.
THEY CAN ESCAPE WITH A SQUIRT
Octopuses have lots of tricks up their sleeve, especially when they encounter predators. When threatened, they squirt a dark ink that keeps other animals from seeing them. Then, they sprint away under the cover of inky black water!
FRIENDS, NOT FOOD
Many people now refuse to eat Octopuses as they have become aware of how smart these animals are. And when it comes to how quickly they can change their appearance second after second, it’s hard not to be in awe of them.
Truly, Octopuses are a marine wonder who deserve to be in the ocean, not on our plates.
