Octopus Camouflage
iamschrodingersdog asked:
What is the plural of octopus? Octopuses? Octopi? Or is it like sheep...1 or 36 octopus?
montereybayaquarium answered:
An excellent question! The original Greek word was “oktōpous” which was latinized/modernized to “octopus.“ Because of this Greek root, the original plural is “octopodes” (oktṓpodes). However, the most common plural form in English is “octopuses,” which is what we use here at the Aquarium.
The plural “octopi” comes from the incorrect assumption that “octopus” is a Latin word. But, it’s so popular that it’s in the dictionary, and even though it’s not technically correct, it still gets the point across that you’re potentially dealing with several octopuses, so go for it if that’s what works for you.
Tl;dr: “Octopuses” is the plural we use here at the Aquarium, “octopodes” if you’re texting Poseidon, and “octopi” also works, especially when ordering eight desserts.
A quick reminder for all your Cephalopod Week cephalobration needs! 🐙🐙
When there’s no real estate in the safe part of town, you might just have to try to make it in the dangerous part. This philosophy is not lost on octopuses, who move to dangerous areas at the risk of losing their babies.
Watch octopuses struggle with the problem of too many tenants, not enough flats to safely take care of their eggs.
Octopus Camouflage
The blue-ringed octopus is one of the most dangerous creatures in the world. The one shown is displaying agitation. Their venom is deadly enough to kill 26 humans each, and their bite is almost painless, so you may not notice that you were bitten until paralysis sets in. There is no anti-venom.