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Nature & Environment

'Octopus city' found off coast of Australia

By T.K. Randall
September 19, 2017 · Comment icon 16 comments

These particular octopi seem to enjoy each other's company. Image Credit: CC BY-SA 4.0 Sylke Rohrlach
Members of the gloomy octopus species have created their own underwater settlement dubbed 'Octlantis'.
Situated in Jervis Bay on the coastline of eastern Australia, the remarkable Octopus 'city' consists of special dens constructed from sand and shells that can house up to 15 of the cephalopods.

The find is particularly unusual, not only due to the level of co-operation taking place but because the gloomy octopus was typically considered to be an isolated and solitary species.
To observe their behavior, an international team of researchers set up an underwater camera which recorded the animals meeting up, communicating and even chasing away rivals.

"These behaviors are the product of natural selection, and may be remarkably similar to vertebrate complex social behavior," said lead researcher David Scheel, from Alaska Pacific University.

"This suggests that when the right conditions occur, evolution may produce very similar outcomes in diverse groups of organisms."



Source: Science Alert | Comments (16)




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Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #7 Posted by DebDandelion 7 years ago
And it stands to reason that if u have so many legs/ arms  being lonesome aint no fun,  so the more the merrier ( literally!) 
Comment icon #8 Posted by Dark_Grey 7 years ago
It would be cool to see a gang of Octopi shaking 8 other tentacles at the same time. Like a big web of "hello"
Comment icon #9 Posted by brizink 7 years ago
Sounds to me like we're gonna be going to war with the Octarmy pretty soon. Kim Long Ams has his tentacle quietly hovering over the big red button, poised to send us back to to the cave.
Comment icon #10 Posted by paperdyer 7 years ago
The Beatle's Octopus' Garden comes to mind.  Where's Ringo when you need him?
Comment icon #11 Posted by Matt221 7 years ago
A gang of octopuss .... an octoposse 
Comment icon #12 Posted by xYlvax 7 years ago
They're plotting on how to get rid of us
Comment icon #13 Posted by taniwha 7 years ago
Is a squid actually a Hectopuss? 
Comment icon #14 Posted by taniwha 7 years ago
Is a group of squid called a squad? 
Comment icon #15 Posted by Hammerclaw 7 years ago
Hadn't really thought about their social life. So, if you live alone in a house in a crowded neighborhood, you're not antisocial, you're just a wallflower. 
Comment icon #16 Posted by Hammerclaw 7 years ago
Yes, or a shoal. A group of giant squid is called a school.


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