Posted on 03/25/2005 8:32:30 AM PST by kiriath_jearim
Octopuses seen walking from predators
By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID Associated Press Writer
March 25, 2005, 9:50 AM EST
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 then 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsday.com ...
I thought that the plural of "octopus" was "octopii".
Webster's II and III give octopuses, octopi (one i), and octopodes as plural.
You thought wrong.
The "-us" to "-i" rule that a lot of people go by should be "-ius" to "-ii".
As in "radius" to "radii"
How do they know what the octopusesiusii are pretending to be?
It is Greek, not Latin.
'octo', meaning 8, plus 'pous' meaning foot.
The plural of 'pous' would be 'podes', because it is third declension. However, in ancient Greek, I believe this word was usually treated as undeclinable, since it doesn't make sense to pluralize the second element.
It's 'Octopi' or 'Octopuses', according to dictionary.com
The tip-off is that real algae doesn't move quite as fast when it tiptoes away from danger.
What do you call 8 octopi?
The video is interesting, I didnt know they could do that.
Disguising itself as French while it tiptoes away. The tip-off here, is that the French run away faster than the octo-beings.
{I know octopus are related to clams not fish but heck who's countin')
Sorry, the word 'octopus' is entirely Latin in its etymology. 'Octo' = Latin for 'eight', 'pus', derivation from 'pes' = Latin nominative singular for 'foot'.
From lousii snitch calamariiiii.
LOL
"What do you call 8 octopi?"
An Octal of octopi?
or 'The octopi were 8 in number. The number being 8. The number is not 7, unless thou proceedeth to 8. 9 being right out!'
Calamari?
Guy walks into a bar with an octopus. He sits the octopus down on a stool and tells everyone in the bar that this is a very talented octopus. He can play any instrument in the world. He will bet $50 on it. A guy walks up with a guitar and sits it beside the octopus. The octopus starts playing better than Jimi Hendrix. So the man pays his $50. Another guy walks up with a trumpet. The octopus plays the trumpet better than Dizzy Gillespie. So the man pays his $50. A third guy walks up with bagpipes. He sits them down and the octopus fumbles with it for a minute and sets it down with a confused look. "Ha!" the man says, "Can't you play it?" The octopus looks up at the man and says, "Play it? I'm going to shag it as soon as I get those pajamas off."
And now, please accept my sincerest apology for the worst puns I've come up with yet.
Sort of like the two octopus lovers who walked on the bottom of the ocean floor. Arm in arm...in arm...in arm...in arm...in arm...in arm...
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