May 19, 2014
Octopus Doesn’t Treat Its Own Amputated Arm As Food
[ Read the Article: Special Chemical In Skin Keeps Octopus Arms From Entangling ]
An octopus is treating its own freshly amputated arm in a strange and exploratory manner that is not commonly seen with respect to food items. Note the ‘startle’ response of the amputated arm. The octopus is rubbing its arms over the amputated arm, petting it, but avoids grasping its skin. Eventually, the octopus is grasping the amputated arm only at the amputation site, where the flesh is exposed. After bringing the arm to its mouth, the octopus holds the amputated arm only at the flesh of the amputated arm and only with its beak for a long time.
Credit: Current Biology, Nesher et al.