The octopus, a cephalopod invertebrate known for its eight tentacles and its ability to camouflage, has a unique ability to move its limbs with astonishing precision, such as the extraordinary dexterity of its tentacles. These limbs, covered by two rows of suckers, not only allow it to catch prey and move swiftly but also to cling to surfaces and swim with propulsion.
Researchers from the University of Chicago revealed how octopuses achieve such precise control of their tentacles. According to a study published in Nature Communications, the nervous system that regulates the movement of the octopus’ arms is segmented.
This segmentation is manifested in columns of neuronal bodies organized like a “corrugated pipe”. Each column is separated by septa, spaces where nerves and blood vessels connect with surrounding muscles.
Thanks to this structure, octopuses can perform complex and coordinated movements with their eight arms and hundreds of suckers. Clifton Ragsdale, neurobiologist and lead author of the study, explains that this segmented configuration is ideal for handling the extreme flexibility and wide range of movements that characterize these animals.
The Dexterity of Their Tentacles: Segmented Control for Dynamic Movements
According to this research, the segments of the nervous system work together to control different muscle regions, ensuring smooth communication between them. This not only facilitates smooth movements but also gives the octopus incomparable control over its limbs.
The research team also analyzed the tentacles of squids, discovering that in areas with suckers, they present a similar segmented nervous structure. This suggests that nervous system segmentation is a shared evolutionary adaptation among certain cephalopods, optimized for complex movements, similar to those of worms.
Technological and Scientific Implications
Beyond expanding knowledge about octopus biology, this discovery underscores how evolution shaped highly specialized nervous systems in these animals over millions of years.
The study opens new possibilities for research in complex biological control systems, with potential applications in fields such as soft robotics, prosthetic design, and neuroscience. The ability of octopuses to handle precise movements with a segmented nervous structure could inspire advances in technologies that emulate the flexibility and dynamic control of their limbs.
Curiosities about Octopuses
In addition to the incredible dexterity of their tentacles, here are some of the most striking curiosities about octopuses:
- Intelligence: Octopuses are intelligent animals, capable of learning and memory. They can solve problems, remember, predict, use tools, and dismantle almost anything.
- Circulatory System: Octopuses have three hearts, two branchial and one systemic. The branchial hearts pump oxygen-poor blood to the gills, where it is oxygenated. The systemic heart pumps oxygenated blood to the rest of the body.
- Blue Blood: Octopuses’ blood is blue because the molecule that transports oxygen is hemocyanin, instead of hemoglobin.
- Shape and Color: Octopuses can change their shape and color to camouflage. For example, they can be blue when nervous, pale when scared, or reddish when angry.
- Jet Propulsion: Octopuses can propel themselves through the water at high speed.
- No Skeleton or Shell: Not having a skeleton or shell is uncommon for an animal of its size and complexity.
- Name: The word “octopus” comes from the Latin polypus, meaning “many feet.” The word “octopus” in English comes from the Greek oktopus, meaning “eight feet.”
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