Octopus. Coloured X-ray of an unidentified octopus. Octopuses are carnivorous marine molluscs belonging to the class Octopoda which live in tropical a

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Octopus. Coloured X-ray of an unidentified octopus. Octopuses are carnivorous marine molluscs belonging to the class Octopoda which live in tropical and warm temperate waters. Their soft bodies have eight powerful arms with two rows of suckers. Their well-developed brains mean they are the most intelligent invertebrate. Octopuses attack prey such as crustaceans and bivalve molluscs by injecting a poison secretion from their salivary gland using their beak. They also release a dark ink-like substance when attacked which clouds their escape and in some species can cause the predator's sensory organs to become paralysed.

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Size: 2959px × 3543px
Photo credit: © DAVE ROBERTS/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: -ray, animal, invertebrates, mollusca, nature, octopoda, octopus, wildlife, xray, zoology