Getty Images
Octopuses Don't Have Tentacles!
By:
Mel Kassel
What exactly do these cephalopods have then?
August 01, 2019
Many people refer to octopus limbs as tentacles, but technically, octopuses don't have any tentacles at all! Instead, they have arms. When you're talking about cephalopods, tentacles tend to be much longer than arms and only have suckers at their "clubbed" ends, whereas arms are shorter, stronger, and suckered all the way down. Tentacles also typically come in pairs. Squid and cuttlefish have eight arms plus a pair of feeding tentacles.
This article first appeared on Curiosity.com.
Next Up
Year in Review: Nature in Focus Adventures
For many years I've looked back on the year in review and thought about all of the incredible adventures I've experienced and this year is no exception.
Great Migrations
Brrrrr it’s getting cold out, the days are shorter and soon it’ll be winter! Fall means that more than 4 billion birds will stream overhead on their fall migration to warmer grounds down south, where they will feed and mate.
Do Octopuses Dream?
New footage shows a sleeping octopus changing colors, indicating the creature may be dreaming.
The “Lungs of Our Planet” are Under Threat
World Rainforest Day is June 22, bringing awareness and action to save these precious ecosystems. But if the current rate of deforestation continues, will there be any rainforests in 100 years?
Bei Bei Says Bye Bye - National Zoo’s Giant Panda Prepares for Move to China
After four years of delighting individuals and families in the United States, giant panda Bei Bei is ready to bid farewell and embark on the next stage of his life in China.
How COVID-19 Could Be Good News For Endangered Wildlife
Trafficking of wild animals around the world may be coming to a close, thanks to the novel coronavirus pandemic that is sweeping the globe.
Wombats: The Furry Heroes of the Australian Wildfires
Wombats dug craters which tapped into deep-flowing water, providing vital resources to fauna and fellow animals.
How the Mediterranean Became a Corridor of Death for Birds
Across the world, the bird population is thinning due to illegal poaching and habitat loss, especially in Europe and Africa during migratory seasons. Conservation groups globally are trying to protect our nearly extinct feathered creatures.
Why Do Birds Have Hollow Bones? It's Not to Make Them Lighter
Do hollow bones really help birds fly?
Romeo the Frog is Fighting for the Last-known Loa Water Frogs
Last month, the world’s loneliest frog found his one and only Juliet. Now, his luck has turned as he's reunited with even more Loa Water frogs that were rescued from a single stream in Chile. He's his story.