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
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?
Some Male Cuttlefish 'Cross-Dress' to Woo the Ladies
Learn about cuttlefish at Discovery.com
How the World’s Largest Delta Might Slowly Go Under Water
The uneven rise of the sea impacts communities in South Asia
Big Sur Condors, A Conservation Comeback Story
Condors once ranged from Baja California all the way to British Columbia. But, in 1987, the last wild California condor was taken into captivity in order to preserve the species. Now, thanks to a breeding program in central California, the condors are finally returning to their natural habitat in Big Sur.
If Cicadas Come Out Once Every 17 Years, Why Do You See Them Every Summer?
These mysterious insects have one of the strangest life cycles in the natural world.
Living with People and Elephants in the Serengeti
There has been a lot of not-so-great elephant news out of Africa in the last couple of decades. Between 2006 and 2015, an estimated 100,000 elephants disappeared across the continent. However, the story of the Serengeti is slightly different to other national parks in Africa. Here's some insight as to why.
It’s World Pangolin Day! Meet The World’s Most Trafficked Animal
World Pangolin Day is a yearly global celebration of pangolins and the people working to save them from extinction. This shy curious creature is the most trafficked animal in the world.
These 5 Mythical Animals Turned Out to Be Real
Many animals people once believed these animals were imaginary.
70% Of Earth's Fresh Water Is Frozen
Our freshwater is locked up in the Antarctic Ice Sheet.