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Expanded and linked
The '''Octopus''' is an [[mollusk]], and a [[cephalopod]]. It belongs to the [[phylum]] [[Mollusca]], and lives underwater. It has tentacles with suckers on them, for attachment to rocks and to prey. To move, it shoots a jet of water out of its body, thrusting it through the water. When in danger, it can eject a cloud of ink to confuse its potential predator and make a quick escape.
The '''Octopus''' is one of a number of kinds of predatory marine [[cephalopod]] [[mollusc]]s, found in the warmer seas of the world.
[[Category:Biology]]
Generally less actively swimming than their fellow cephalopods [[squid]] and [[cuttlefish]], octopuses have eight suckered [[tentacle]]s used for attachment to rocks and to prey. To move, it may pull itself over the sea bed with its tentacles, but when in a hurry, it shoots a jet of water out of its body, thrusting it through the water.
Octopuses use [[chromatophore]]s to perfectly camouflage themselves against their background. When threatened, it can eject a cloud of ink to mask its escape.
Octopuses are highly intelligent, and are capable of opening jars and solving simple puzzles. They can compress their bodies to fit through minute apertures.
Octopuses, having engulfed their prey in their arms, inject it with venom, and some, such as the blue-ringed octopus of Australia are highly poisonous and are capable of killing a man with their bite.
The existence of giant octopuses, on a scale similar to the [[giant squid]], has been suspected for many years, but no verified specimens have yet been captured.
[[Category:Molluscs]]