Hapalochlaena lunulata-Blue Ringed Octopus
Adaptation
How do the Blue-Ringed Octopus survive?
The blue-ringed octopus has a range of different places it could hide under. It is often found in shallow waters. The blue-ringed octopus is a very small so your chances of seeing it are very slim, unless you are looking in the right places. The blue-ringed octopus can live in a beautiful Coral Reef or a plain tide pool. This organism is good at adapting to both warm and tropical areas.
The blue-ringed octopus moves on of two ways. They will move either by crawling along the bottom of the tide pools or by jet propulsion. They draw water into a cavity of their body then push the jet of water from the mantle. This is a very powerful force and it can move the octopus very swiftly and efficiently through the water. Usually, their head is first while it uses this type of movement. This is their fastest means of transportation.
When the blue-ringed octopus feels threatened or harmed, it will turn it's rings a bright blue color as a means of defense. If the animals or other substances are not going away, the octopus will bite it and release it's toxin. This toxin is in the salivary glands, which is embedded with bacteria. This bacteria produces a chemical called tetrodotoxin. This chemical targets the nerves for transmitting messages. It is very strong and fast acting, which can paralyze you in seconds. Once paralyzed you can die in a matter of minutes. Furthermore, the Blue-Ringed Octopus is skilled in camouflage. Since it is very small, the octopus is able to hide under almost anything. They can be grey or beige with light brown colors when it is not attacked or provoked by a threat. But once attacked, they change colors within seconds. When feeling threatened they flash their iridescently blue rings at an alarming rate of up to 60 at a time (as seen in the above photo). These rings contain a physiologically inert multilayer of reflectors which reflect blue-green light. They also possess a dark pigment that are found beneath and around the rings which enhance the contrast between the two colors.
Click here to see a video where this octopus is in a tide pool.
