OCTOPUS TRAVEL METHODS (LOCOMOTION)

The primary locomotion is to crawl or swim which is achieved via their arms. This allows the octopus to use their suckers to sense any molluscs or food they come into contact with. For fast locomotion however, all octopi have a somewhat unique ability to circulate water through their mantle cavities. While this is primarily used for respiration and waste removal it also is used for rapid locomotion. In addition to providing rapid locomotion octopi have been seen to use this ability for cleaning of dens and to repel pests.

It is not unheard of for Octopi to leave the water for brief periods, and in fact octopuses kept as pets have been known to escape their containers and invade nearby aquariums to utilize the fish as a food source. This unique ability led to a recent Octopus hoax about an ‘endangered species’ of octopi called the ““Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus aka Octopus paxarbolis” which is NONEXISTENT! This interesting faux variant is now often touted as real since being quoted in a research paper but does NOT exist. Supposedly an Octopus found only in the Pacific Northwest it was said to be amphibious, spending only their early life and mating season in the water. I mention it here to help end the misinformation.

CRAWLING

Most commonly the Octopi crawl, using their legs in a scuttling motion to push and pull themselves along a surface or the ocean floor. Crawling is interesting since they do not have full control over their arms, they simply send a high level command for movement and it sorts itself out!

WALKING

There are several species that actually ‘walk’ in the classic sense, using two alternating arms in a rolling gait and utilizing the remaining arms for camouflage: they are the

• Octopus marginatus – which resembles a coconut
• Octopus aculeatus – which appears to be a clump of floating algae

JET PROPULSION

The fastest method of locomotion is the direction of water through their mantles as mentioned previously. During this process water flows into the mantle across the gills from an opening in the head. The octopi builds pressure by sealing off all orifices except for a path called the “funnel” or “siphon” and uses the thick muscles of the mantle wall to squeeze the water out the narrow funnel. Able to reach speeds of 25 miles per hour with this method of travel they utilize it normally only in dire circumstances since their ability to maintain it is limited.
To steer they simply adjust the direction of the funnel and can use it to trap prey in rapid movements as well as shoo away pests and to agitate predators.

Greater Blue-Ringed Octopus (Hapalochlaena lunulata)

FLYING

Even more astonishing is the fact that some octopi have been known to ‘fly’ by blasting themselves out of the water completely to escape predators. Several varieties of squad have also been known to accomplish this feat.

SWIMMING

The finned variety of Octopus, known Cirrata can use their fins as balance and propulsion similar to a fish. They may also use their fins in combination with their funnel, for direction control.

© Noah Gubner at istockphoto.com