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Chameleon of the ocean floor, the octopus has the largest brain of any invertebrate and is among the most intelligent of water-dwelling creatures. Octopuses can change to gray, brown, pink, blue, or green to blend in with their surroundings. They may also change color as a way to communicate with each other.
These slippery creatures are armed with hundreds of powerful suckers that line their eight tentacles, which have the dual senses of taste and touch. The pressure from these same suckers is capable of tearing flesh.
Although the octopus has no internal or external skeleton, it boasts an extremely complicated nervous system supported by three hearts. Two hearts pump blood through the gills, while the third pumps blood through the body.

By employing foresight, planning, and even tool use, octopuses can perform amazing feats of dexterity and agility. They use rocks and jets of water as tools, and are known to use coconut shells to hide from predators.

Don’t take our word for it. Watch this octopus escape from inside a closed jar:

These fast swimmers jet forward by expelling water through their mantles. When cornered in a tight spot, they can squeeze into impossibly small cracks and crevices where predators can’t follow. If all else fails, an octopus can lose an arm to escape a predator’s grasp and re-grow it later with no permanent damage.

Sources
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/octopus.html
http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/octopus.aspx
http://www.onekind.org/be_inspired/animals_a_z/octopus/
http://www.allthesea.com/Octopus.html
http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/articles/article/6474

Publisher: Georgienne Bradley, Editor: Lawrence Dale Cooper, Research: Melissa Martinez, Layout: Angela Stefanovska, SEO: Abass Sharif Nagaiya, Production Manager: Dr. Jay Martinez, Social Media: Ian Allsopp and Brittany Knotts

Our Purpose

At Sea Save Foundation, we believe in the inherent goodness of people and their willingness to protect our oceans when given accurate information. Every week, we produce this free publication to provide a wealth of information in a concise and summary format. Our stories are carefully selected from diverse sources worldwide. Please note that selection does not imply endorsement; rather, it reflects our effort to gather a broad spectrum of ideas for your review and analysis. Whenever possible, we include primary sources to ensure the most reliable and accurate information.