A mollusc peeks out from its shell amid a swirl of plankton. But look again. It’s certainly a clam shell, but those suckers are a clue that the animal tucked up inside is no clam.
It’s a veined octopus, a rare example of a soft-bodied animal that can walk on two ‘legs’, freeing up the other six to use as camouflage or carry its home around.
- Bewitching glass octopus rarely seen alive filmed near remote Pacific islands
- The very cute Dumbo octopus can swallow prey whole, reproduce at any time and is named after a Disney character – meet the elusive deep-sea animal
Traditionally, this octopus's shelter of choice would be an empty bivalve shell, but in the Molucca Sea of Indonesia, it has been diversifying its portfolio to include discarded coconuts. Therefore it is often known as a coconut octopus
- From venomous sex to maternal sacrifice: 7 fascinating facts about octopuses
- This ocean goliath has 9 brains, hunts sharks at night and can grow as long as a school bus
- Nature’s most devoted mother starves herself for an epic 4 years – so her babies get the best start – with devastating consequences
