The official DOOM octopus thread

[Dr. Ivor Yeti]

"Today’s announcement will not affect any existing legislation or industry" says it all

[Drunk Monk]

Cuttlefish are weak squid

This all begs the question - are squatches sentient?

[Drunk Monk]

What scientists learned when they peered into an octopus' brain

Photo by Serena Repice Lentini on Unsplash
brown octopus
 [/url]Matthew Rozsa  and [url=https://www.alternet.org/author/salon]Salon 
November 24, 2021
Among the smartest animals on Earth, octopuses are unique for being utterly weird in their evolutionary path to developing those smarts. Philosopher Peter Godfrey-Smith has called the octopus the closest thing to an alien that we might encounter on Earth, and their bizarre anatomy speaks to this: An octopus' mind isn't concentrated in its head but spread throughout its body. Their tentacles are packed with neurons that endow each one with a hyperaware sense of touch, as well as the ability to smell and taste. Marine biologists have remarked that each tentacle sometimes seems like it has a mind of its own. Every octopus is a tactile thinker, constantly manipulating its surroundings with a body so soft it almost seems liquid.
All of these things are surprising, at least in theory, because scientists have learned to associate intelligence with vertebrates and a tendency to socialize. Octopuses are either asocial or partially social — and all of them are invertebrates. This raises an obvious question: How did octopuses become so smart?
Scientists know surprisingly little about this subject, as a great deal of the research on octopus neuroanatomy up to this point has focused on one species, the European common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) — which has about as many neurons in its body as a dog. Thanks to the scientists behind a new study in the scientific journal Current Biology, we now know more about the neural wiring of four very different types of octopuses (or, in one case, octopus-like animals): the vampire squid (Vampyroteuthis infernalis), which dwells in the deep sea and is technically neither an octopus nor a squid; the blue-lined octopus (Hapalochlaena fasciata), a venomous creature that keeps to itself while roaming the ocean at night; and "two diurnal reef dwellers," Abdopus capricornicus and Octopus cyanea (also known as the day octopus).
The scientists also examined data about four other species of coastal octopuses based on material in previously published literature. Using that information and their new research, they concluded that octopus intelligence evolved in ways similar to vertebrate animals — specifically, based on the need to accommodate their surroundings. That implies that they had a convergent evolutionary path towards developing intelligence despite having diverged from vertebrates long ago.
"Our study uncovered new insights to confirm that octopus brain structure indeed evolved as those of many other animals," Dr. Wen-Sung Chung, the lead contact on the paper and a postdoctoral research fellow at the Queensland Brain Institute in Australia, told Salon by email.
Chung analogized octopus evolution to shark evolution, noting that sharks evolved differently based on the ocean depths at which they preferred to swim. "It is probably [unsurprising] as they have a short life span and live in a broad range of ocean (from reef to deep sea, from tropical to temperate waters)," all of which have different conditions in terms of predators to evade and other pressures on survival.
"Octopuses and other cephalopods are very likely more complicated than we expected before," Chung added. "Expanding studies toward various species from different habitats, rather than narrowing down to one/a few iconic species, can be a way to study this amazing and apparently smart creature. I believe we can learn more by embracing the diversity of these creatures."
Among other things, scientists did not expect to find as much folding as they did in the octopus brains. The process in which the brain develops what appear to be wrinkles is known as gyrification, and is associated with vertebrates whose highly evolved brains are capable of processing large quantities of complex information. Yet wrinkles have been observed in brain sections for roughly 20 octopus species already, and the new studies revealed unmistakable new evidence of brain structural folding in the octopod's central nervous system.
"The brain folding is certainly a big surprise to us," Chung wrote to Salon. "In order to confirm this, we had to catch different-sized individuals (no way to get them from the animal house or pet shop) to eliminate the possibility of structural deformation caused by the handling during capture, fixation and imaging."
The study also provided new information about the vampire squid, a species that is neither octopus nor squid but rather the last surviving member of its own order. By looking at its brain, scientists were able to learn that it has a strange hybrid of both squid-like and octopus-like features. They also found that, for octopus species that live in reef systems, their entire visual system undergoes major changes to accommodate their daytime-dwelling lifestyle.
Does this mean octopuses are as intellectually complex as humans? Not so fast, Chung warned, noting that scientists can only say for sure that octopuses are smart enough to remember landmarks and break out of their housing tanks. ("This is the nightmare for most octopus researchers," he noted.)
"Honestly, this study is just the very first step to investigate the differences/similarities between octopuses/cephalopods, and we know too little about octopuses in many ways," Chung added. "We should be cautious for this and avoid over-interpretation at this stage until more solid evidence available in the future."

[thatguy]

The sentient-ness of Squidly Diddly was always arguable



—tg

[Drunk Monk]

The sentient-ness of Squidly Diddly was always arguable



—tg

truth

especially because he had a round head like an octopus. how many tentacles did he have? here i count 7.

but boy could that cephalopod play...

[Dr. Ivor Yeti]

Cuttlefish are weak squid

This all begs the question - are squatches sentient?

Cuttlefish are vicious brutes snd Squatches are as sentient as any rural buffoon.

[Greg]

I was thinking we had a tentacle thread, but this will do.

[Dr. Ivor Yeti]

I was thinking we had a tentacle thread, but this will do.

That it is coming from Charlie Stross makes it super-funny

[thatguy]

--tg

[Drunk Monk]

Monster Octopus Caught by Hawaii Fisherman Breaks 20-Year Record

BY ARISTOS GEORGIOU ON 9/5/22 AT 12:13 PM EDTComments

A Hawaiian man caught a huge octopus that broke a state record that had stood for more than 20 years.
Michael Matsunaga, from Wahiawa on the island of O'ahu, made the catch on the morning of August 30 in the waters off Turtle Bay, HawaiiNewsNow reported.
At the time, Matsunaga was bottom-fishing, a technique that involves the angler dropping the bait all the way down to the bottom of the water column to target fish that live on or near the ground.
The 69-year-old had dropped his bait—consisting of fish and squid—down to a depth of around 400 feet when he noticed something on his line.
"It felt like it was stuck," Matsunaga told HawaiiNewsNow.
A struggle then ensued to haul the giant octopus up onto his boat. But that was only part of the challenge for Matsunaga, who said the biggest battle was dealing with the octopus once it was on the boat.
"He has eight legs. I get two arms. I kind of put him in the cooler. But he tried to get out everything. I finally got him in the cooler. And then I had to sit on the cooler because he was kinda of lifting me up," he said.

Stock image: Octopus tentacles. A Hawaii man has caught a record-breaking octopus weighing almost 26 pounds.ISTOCK

Matsunaga then took the creature to be weighed at Hana Pa'a Fishing Co. with the scale showing a reading of 25.95 pounds—a state record for largest octopus caught.
The previous record was held by the 69-year-old's brother, Stewart Matsunaga, who caught a 19-pound octopus off Kaʻena Point, O'ahu, in 2000.
In Hawaii, octopus is commonly referred to as "tako"—the Japanese word for the animal. Tako is a common ingredient in poke, the popular seafood dish that is a mainstay of Native Hawaiian cuisine.
But Matsunaga said he probably wouldn't be making tako poke with the octopus, and instead was planning to boil it in beer "one leg at a time".
There are two octopus species that are commonly found in Hawaii—the day octopus (Octopus cyanea) and the night octopus (Octopus ornatus). Both of these species are relatively small, usually reaching a maximum arm span of two-to-three feet and weighing around 10 pounds, according to the Waikiki Aquarium.

[Drunk Monk]

Sometimes This Octopus Is So Mad It Just Wants to Throw Something

A study finds that the gloomy octopus — its real name — is in the small club of animals that toss things at other members of their own species.

It was not a peaceful day in “Octopolis.” Video by Godfrey-Smith et al.

By Darren Incorvaia
Nov. 9, 2022
It turns out that the urge to hurl something at an irritating neighbor is not confined to land animals. A study published on Wednesday in the journal PLOS ONE shows that octopuses of at least one species throw silt and shells, sometimes at one another. It’s a rare behavior in the animal kingdom, and the study is the first time it has been documented in octopuses.
While octopuses are intelligent, most species live largely solitary lives. But in Jervis Bay, Australia, unusually large numbers of one species — Octopus tetricus, better known as the gloomy octopus — gather at sites affectionately nicknamed Octopolis and Octlantis. Ideal denning conditions and abundant food attract the antisocial animals and force them into close quarters, where it’s common for them to poke, prod, grab and otherwise annoy one another. And that exasperation can lead to the deployment of projectiles as a potential manner of cephalopod conflict resolution.
Researchers observed this ballistic behavior while poring over more than 21 hours of video taken near octopus dens. Throwing was “not at all routine,” said Peter Godfrey-Smith, a philosopher of science at the University of Sydney in Australia and an author of the study. “But we were seeing it reasonably often.”
Video

Someone fooled around and found out. Video by Godfrey-Smith et al.

Though the researchers call the octopuses’ actions “throws,” Jervis Bay is not like a dodge ball court populated by eight-armed players; only in one case did an octopus fling a shell by straightening its arm the way a human would. There isn’t really a word for what the gloomy octopus does, Dr. Godfrey-Smith said. For instance, if an animal feels provoked by its neighbor, it will gather silt from the seafloor underneath its body and hold it there. When ready to fire, the thrower positions its siphon — the tubular organ used to pump water for swimming — underneath its body, which the study authors describe as an unusual stance. Then it will violently expel water to push the debris outward.
Octopuses are “very intelligent animals,” said Janet Mann, a biologist at Georgetown University who was not involved in the study. Given that they propel water to swim and some in captivity have been known to squirt water at people, it doesn’t surprise Dr. Mann that they can also use these aquatic jets to throw objects. “They use water as a tool,” she said.
While the existence of this octopus artillery is clear in photos and videos, whether throwers ever intend for their projectiles to hit another octopus is tougher to prove. To work this out, the team used its best data — where water quality was good and individual octopuses could be identified — to see if throws that hit other octopuses differed from throws that didn’t.
Video

[*]Don’t take it personally, the octopus is just done with that scallop shell. Video by Godfrey-Smith et al.

[*]
Dr. Godfrey-Smith said the researchers observed that debris that hit another octopus tended to be thrown from under the aggressor’s arms differently — slightly to the side rather than straight ahead. Additionally, the material thrown varied depending on context; when seemingly trying to strike another octopus, silt was the weapon of choice. But when a scallop shell was tossed, it seemed to be thrown like garbage being discarded after eating, and not like a projectile aimed at another octopus.

[*]Some of the clearest evidence for octopus-on-octopus attacks came from two observations of repeat offending by a single individual. In these two cases, one octopus landed “hit after hit after hit” on another, Dr. Godfrey-Smith said. The victim eventually started defending itself, by either raising an arm or ducking in anticipation of a throw, but it never returned fire. “They had dens right next to each other,” he said, “and I think they didn’t like to be in each other’s faces as much as they were.”
That these octopuses apparently throw projectiles at each other puts them in an exclusive group. Animals ranging from elephants to antlions throw things, but only some social mammals — including, of course, humans — aim at members of the same species. Gloomy octopuses can now be added to this list.
“We know so little about the capabilities of marine animals,” Dr. Mann said. “These discoveries are important because they make people think about what’s going on just beneath the surface of the water.”

[Greg]

Decorating ideas.

[Drunk Monk]

TikTok User Unknowingly Held The World's Most Venomous Octopus While In Bali

RACHAEL FUNNELL


A stock photo demonstrating exactly WHAT NOT TO DO. Image credit: Anthony Sefuentes/Shutterstock.com



Knowing what is and isn’t dangerous when you’re in unfamiliar territory is tricky, but there are a few signs you can look out for, such as teeth, bright coloration, or the resemblance to a bear on a lot of cocaine. A video that recently went viral on TikTok demonstrated how easy it is to underestimate small things, as someone was filmed holding in their bare hands one of the most dangerous animals on the planet (amazingly, it's not even the first time this has happened).
The blue-ringed octopus is the definition of small but mighty, with an average body size of just 12 to 20 centimeters (5 to 8 inches). As its name suggests, these small squishies are covered in a psychedelic pattern of blue rings – but these are only normally visible when the animal is provoked. When stressed, it turns bright yellow and flashes its 50 to 60 blue rings in what’s normally received as a pretty clear “back tf up” signal.
It’s a fine example of an aposematic warning display, a technique used by a diverse range of animals that lets would-be predators know that this is not a snack they want to take on. The perceived threat could pertain to venom (injected), poison (ingested), foul taste, or hard-to-swallow spines. Another defense that is a little sneakier is seen In Batesian mimicry, in which a perfectly edible prey species mimics an aposematic model so that predators avoid them too (such as this "tarantula").
In the case of the blue-ringed octopus, they’re not messing around. They really are one of the most dangerous animals on the planet, owing to the extremely harmful toxin they can envenomate attackers or curious hands with. It’s called tetrodotoxin and it is a powerful neurotoxin that can be fatal. Fortunately, these octopuses aren’t aggressive, so if you give them space and don’t, say, take it out of the water and pass it around, you should be fine. Otherwise...

@kaylinmarie21
Called my dad crying 3 hours later in Bali? #blueringoctopus #bali #uluwatu #fyp#imdumb #thanksjesuschrist#ShowerWithMoxie #EnvisionGreatness
♬ Oh No Oh No Oh No No No - Dubskie

“Its bite is usually painless, so you might not know you’ve been bitten until it’s too late,” wrote marine ecologist Erin Spencer on a post about blue-ringed octopus for Ocean Conservancy. “First, the venom blocks nerve signals throughout the body, causing muscle numbness. Other symptoms include nausea, vision loss or blindness, loss of senses and loss of motor skills. Ultimately, it will cause muscle paralysis – including the muscles needed for humans to breathe, leading to respiratory arrest. There is no known antidote, but victims can be saved if artificial respiration is started immediately.”
It seems, then, that @kaylinmarie21 (whose TikTok bio now reads “I held a venomous octopus once”) was unbelievably lucky. In a follow-up video to the original detailing her nail-biting wildlife encounter, she explains that she was visiting the Uluwatu beach in Bali with some friends when they spotted not one but two blue-ringed octopuses. Though her original video only shows the one being handed around, she explains that they also picked up the second. In the video, the octopuses’ rings can be seen very clearly demonstrating how the venomous ticking time bomb was feeling at the time of the photo op.
The story, told so far in just two of three parts, seems to have a happy ending. At the time of writing the original video sits at 8.7 million views, and while this incident was sort of an accident we’d strongly recommend keeping wildlife out of your TikTok content where possible. Even walking toupees can kill you.

[thatguy]

This should probably go in the AI art forum, but its here now:

https://www.reddit.com/r/StableDiffusion...us_dinner/

--tg

[Drunk Monk]