The octopus does not have a backbone. In fact, the octopus has no bones at all. Its body structure allows the animal to hide in a little place and hunt under the sea.
The octopus is a fascinating creature. It is found in shallow waters in most areas of the world. It has eight long limbs or tentacles, lined with suckers, protruding from a globe shaped head called the mantle. It uses two of its tentacles like legs to walk on the sea floor and to push off when it wants to swim. It also has the ability to grow back a tentacle if it loses one.
The octopus has no skeleton at all, so it is able to squeeze through the smallest spaces. It has a sharp beak and toothed tongue which it uses to drill into the shells of its prey, or to force the shells open. Once it breaks open the shells, it injects a poison into its prey to paralyze it.
The octopus is highly intelligent and also has the uncanny ability to change its colour, texture and body posture to blend in with its surroundings. This proves very useful both when it is hunting and when it wants to hide from its enemies. Another way it escapes is by releasing a cloud of purple-black ink so that the enemy can no longer see it.
The mimic octopus can change its skin colour and texture to mimic not just one, but many other sea creatures! This fascinating creature was first discovered in 1998 off the coast of Indonesia.
Picture credit: google