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Octopus

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Octopuses' Ribosomes Hint at a Convergent Route to Smarter Brains
science12 hours ago

Octopuses' Ribosomes Hint at a Convergent Route to Smarter Brains

Researchers propose that octopuses may have boosted their nervous system complexity through a unique H88 break in ribosomal RNA that increases the accuracy of protein synthesis, reducing misfolded proteins in long-lived neurons; experiments even implementing a similar ribosomal change in E. coli support the idea that this tweak enhances protein folding, highlighting a convergent evolutionary path to smarter brains driven by challenging environments.

via Hackaday|
#convergent-evolution#note-only-five-tags-allowed#octopus
Giant beaked octopuses stalked the Cretaceous seas
science15 days ago

Giant beaked octopuses stalked the Cretaceous seas

A 2026 Science study analyzed 27 Late Cretaceous fossil jaws from Japan and Vancouver Island, estimating Nanaimoteuthis haggarti could reach about 7–19 meters (roughly 100–72 million years ago). The findings suggest giant, active, finned octopuses that could hunt hard prey and occupy a top predatory tier in ancient oceans, challenging the view that vertebrates dominated ancient marine ecosystems. Exact full-body size remains uncertain since conclusions are based on jaws rather than complete skeletons.

via Space Daily|
#beaks#cretaceous#nanaimoteuthis
Eight-armed cognition: Octopus intelligence is distributed across its limbs
science25 days ago

Eight-armed cognition: Octopus intelligence is distributed across its limbs

Most of an octopus’s 500 million neurons aren’t in its head: about 40–45 million in the central brain, 120–180 million in the optic lobes, and 300–350 million in the eight arms, making eight semi-autonomous processors that can sense, evaluate, and respond to stimuli within 100 milliseconds without routing signals to the brain, a distributed cognition architecture that challenges vertebrate brain-centric ideas of thinking and consciousness.

via Space Daily|
#cephalopod#consciousness#distributed-cognition
Octopuses Learn to Find Hidden Food Using Mirrors, Hinting at Mental Maps
science1 month ago

Octopuses Learn to Find Hidden Food Using Mirrors, Hinting at Mental Maps

Researchers trained three California two-spot octopuses to use a mirror to locate a crab placed behind them. After about 10–12 training trials, the octopuses learned to approach the real prey instead of its reflection; in testing they chose the correct location 73% of the time, suggesting they understood the mirror’s spatial information rather than just memorizing cues. The findings imply octopuses may have internal spatial maps and point to convergent evolution of cognition in distant relatives.

via BBC Wildlife Magazine|
#animal-intelligence#invertebrates#mirror-test
Ancient Kraken-Like Giant Octopus Unearthed in 72-Million-Year-Old Fossils
science1 month ago

Ancient Kraken-Like Giant Octopus Unearthed in 72-Million-Year-Old Fossils

Researchers analyzing oversized fossil jaws from Japan and Canada describe two giant, kraken-like octopuses—Nanaimoteuthis jeletzkyi and N. haggarti—from about 72 million years ago; based on jaw size, N. haggarti may have reached 23–62 feet, potentially the largest known invertebrate, suggesting Cretaceous oceans hosted top predators among invertebrates alongside vertebrates and pointing to a more complex ancient marine ecosystem.

via USA Today|
#cretaceous#invertebrates#nanaimoteuthis
Palm-sized blue octopus crowned a new Galápagos species
science1 month ago

Palm-sized blue octopus crowned a new Galápagos species

Scientists have identified Microeledone galapagensis, a palm-sized blue octopus discovered in the Galápagos in 2015. Using CT scanning to build a 3D model, researchers placed the female in the Megaleledonidae family and noted its close relation to M. mangoldi. Found about 1,773 meters (5,800 feet) below the surface, the species highlights deep-sea biodiversity and high endemism in the Galápagos and underscores how much remains unknown about the deep ocean as climate change reshapes these ecosystems.

via CNN|
#ct-scanning#deep-sea-biodiversity#galapagos
Tiny Blue Galápagos Octopus Earns a New Species Name via 3D CT Scan
science1 month ago

Tiny Blue Galápagos Octopus Earns a New Species Name via 3D CT Scan

A golf-ball-sized blue octopus living in deep waters off Darwin Island in the Galápagos has been formally described as a new species, Microeledone galapagensis, after researchers used nondestructive CT scanning to build a detailed 3D model of its anatomy. The study underscores how much remains unknown about deep-sea life and the value of exploration and conservation.

via WIRED|
#ct-imaging#deep-sea#galapagos-islands
Colossal Cretaceous Kraken? Study hints at 60-foot octopuses in ancient seas
science2 months ago

Colossal Cretaceous Kraken? Study hints at 60-foot octopuses in ancient seas

A Science study using 15 fossil octopus beaks and AI-based size estimates suggests 60-foot octopuses may have been apex predators in the Late Cretaceous (72–100 million years ago), capable of preying on large creatures like sharks and mosasaurs, though some paleontologists call the 60-foot figure extreme and caution that more evidence is needed.

via Yahoo|
#apex-predators#beaks#late-cretaceous
Cephalopod brains reveal a smarter path to intelligence
science2 months ago

Cephalopod brains reveal a smarter path to intelligence

Cephalopods like octopuses have large, highly intelligent brains built very differently from ours—neural cords in their arms and a donut-shaped brain around the esophagus—yet they show memory, problem solving, and rapid camouflage. Scientists are mapping their circuits, comparing dopamine signaling to vertebrates, and using genome data and CRISPR to develop lab-friendly models, highlighting both convergent principles and entirely novel brain solutions, while navigating cross-border ethical considerations and technical hurdles.

via Yahoo|
#brain#cephalopod#evolution
Ancient Kraken: Fossil jaws reveal 60-foot octopuses ruled the dinosaur seas
science2 months ago

Ancient Kraken: Fossil jaws reveal 60-foot octopuses ruled the dinosaur seas

New analysis of 15 fossil jaws from Japan and Vancouver Island, plus 12 more from Japan using digital fossil mining, estimates Late Cretaceous octopuses ranged 23–62 ft and were likely apex predators, with wear on their beaks indicating they crushed hard prey—making them among the largest invertebrates and possibly rivals to marine reptiles and sharks.

via CBS News|
#cephalopods#dinosaurs#fossils
Ancient sea giant: a 19-metre octopus haunted the prehistoric oceans
science2 months ago

Ancient sea giant: a 19-metre octopus haunted the prehistoric oceans

Analysis of exceptionally preserved fossil jaws from Japan suggests giant octopuses could reach up to 19 metres in total length, potentially the largest known invertebrates and top predators in the Cretaceous seas, capable of crushing shells and bones of large prey; uneven jaw wear hints at one-sided feeding and possibly advanced brain function, though exact form and speed remain uncertain and no stomach contents have been found; the research is published in Science.

via BBC|
#ancient-oceans#invertebrates#octopus
Ancient 19-meter octopuses crushed bones in Cretaceous seas, study finds
science2 months ago

Ancient 19-meter octopuses crushed bones in Cretaceous seas, study finds

Fossil beak analysis reveals giant Cretaceous octopuses up to about 19 m long that crushed bones and shells with powerful jaws, possibly rivaling mosasaurs in the oceans. Nanaimoteuthis haggarti may be the largest known invertebrate, with wear patterns and lateralization indicating sophisticated predation. Researchers reclassified several beaks and uncovered additional specimens (12 more beaks from 72–100 million-year-old rocks) using digital imaging, reshaping views of the Cretaceous marine ecosystem. Findings published in Science.

via The Guardian|
#beaks#cretaceous#octopus