Octopus seen walking on two legs like a human (includes video)

KATU -2 News (Oregon) / AP ^ | March 25, 2005 | RANDOLPH E. SCHMID

[Stoat]

Octopus seen walking on two legs like a human

VIDEO

By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Octopuses, known for using camouflage to avoid predators, have been observed apparently trying to sneak away by walking on two arms while pretending to be a bunch of algae.

Two kinds of octopus were seen to use different ways of walking along the sea floor, researchers were reporting in Friday's issue of the journal Science.

The movements were discovered by Christine L. Huffard of the University of California, Berkeley, who was studying underwater video camera tapes of the animals.

Berkeley professor Robert J. Full said Huffard was studying octopus movement as part of a robotics project. He said the researchers use examples from nature in designing robots; one project is to build a soft robot.

Octopuses trying to avoid being eaten usually hold still to camouflage themselves. But by walking on two arms, these two types were able to move quickly while using their other arms to disguise themselves.

Two individuals of O. marginatus from Indonesia wrapped six arms around themselves, looking like a coconut on the sea floor. They ten used the two rear arms to move backward.

In Australia, O. aculeatus was seen raising two arms above its head before lifting four more and moving backward on the two remaining arms. The researchers described it as looking like "a clump of algae tiptoeing away."

The researchers believe the octopuses were trying to flee from predators, though they cannot be sure until they have seen more examples of the behavior.

The research was funded by the American Malacological Society and the National Science Foundation.

[Stoat]

Also see this FR thread:

Octopuses() Seen Walking From Predators [BAD GRAMMAR ALERT]

 

For the video, open the KATU TV page, here again:

KATU 2 - Portland, Oregon

[risk]

Moonwalking octopi?

[tet68]

Dead Octupus walkin.

[AmericaUnited]

Darwin was right. Some humans did evolve from slimy octopi...

[nuconvert]

Well, who can pass up a walking octopus? pong

[risk]

And according to some Wahabbi fundamentalists, some devolved... I wonder if they could have devolved that far?

[ThreePuttinDude]

HA HA HA, good one...

[Mark17]

Darwin was right. Some humans did evolve from slimy octopi...

I wonder if they will claim this is the missing link?

[BillF]

Do you have a jpg of your great 8 candidates sign from last year? Octopus theme, wasn't it?

If only that octopus would walk out of the country.

[Navy Patriot]

This must be a lawyer octopi, six limbs free for picking your pockets.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Just watch the Discovery Channel in a few weeks and they'll de-bunk this just as they did, "HOGZILLA!"

I hate sea-creatures. There's a reason they live down there and I live up here and we eat them. (And they eat us when given half the chance.) *SHIVER*

Did it ever occur to anyone that maybe things that live in the sea are the true "Aliens" and they're not coming from Outer Space? They're already here! Eeeekkk!

[Cagey]

A guy goes into a bar with his pet octopus and says "I bet $50 that no one here has a musical instrument that this octopus can't play."

The people in the bar look around and someone fetches an old guitar.

The octopus has a look, picks it up, tunes up the strings and starts playing the guitar. The octopus's owner pockets the fifty bucks.

Next guy comes up with a trumpet, octopus takes the horn, loosens up the keys, licks its lips and starts playing a jazz solo. The guy hands over another fifty bucks to the octopus's owner.

The bar owner has been watching all this and disappears out back, coming back in a few moments later with a set of bagpipes under his arm. He puts them on the bar and says to the guy and his octopus, "Now, if your octopus can play that I'll give you a hundred dollars."

The octopus takes a look at the bagpipes, lifts it up, turns it over, has another look from another angle. Puzzled, the octopus's owner comes up and says "What are you fooling around for? Hurry up and play the damn thing!"

The octopus says "Play it? If I can figure out how to get its pajamas off I'm gonna make love to it!"

[cherokee1]

---Looks suspiciously like Kim Jong Il? The little Northgook weasel is up to something.

[mikrofon]

"Walk Like a Crustacean"

[Thinkin' Gal]

In Australia, O. aculeatus was seen raising two arms above its head before lifting four more and moving backward on the two remaining arms. The researchers described it as looking like "a clump of algae tiptoeing away."

There you go again.

[Stoat]

Just watch the Discovery Channel in a few weeks and they'll de-bunk this just as they did, "HOGZILLA!"

Did "Hogzilla" feature video?  Just curious, not familiar with that event.

One advantage to having Octopi walk on two legs is that your calamari might be better....

Most sea creatures won't eat you.  I'm a scuba diver (you can imagine the trouble it was to find a dealer that carries scuba suits to fit a stoat) and most undersea creatures are merely curious, and will occasionally interact and play with you (especially if you bring food....then you will make lots of friends).  Dedicated killing-machines such as some shark species and a few other nasties are different of course, and they of course get all of the press (notice also how many sharks are living in Hollywood) but much of the underwater world is a serene environment that can be quite hospitable....as long as you know what you're doing  :-)

 

[FreeManWhoCan]

Its Bush's fault!

[theDentist]

Well, there's a bovine from N.Y. that was so good at walking on 2 legs, they elected her Senator!

[Stoat]

---Looks suspiciously like Kim Jong Il? The little Northgook weasel is up to something.

Please don't insult weasels (brushing down scruffy stoat fur, trying to look more presentable)

[Liberator]

"Its Bush's fault!"

Only IF the Octopus' name was "Pedro," and it eluded BP rather easily...