ZPi Cephalopod News
ZPi Blog Cephalopod Topic
- 2020-08-27 Noon: 22nd Century - "Pilgrims and Wayfarers"
- 2019-06-03 Fae Archaic: A Crime-ridden Fairy Tale
- 2019-05-14 Possible Tree Ammonite Discovered
- 2019-02-25 Tree Octopus Mural In Spokane
- 2019-02-24 Devon Hedge Octopus
- 2019-02-23 "Drom Lunarius": Tree Octopi, Pyramid Eye, & Camels
- More entries about (and sometimes by) cephalopods...
Special Reports
- 2007-02-22 (UPDATED 2007-03-24) Larger Colossal Squid Caught
- New Zealand fishermen in the Ross Sea have caught a colossal squid weighing an estimated 495kg. Click link for collected factoids.
Older Special Reports:
- 2003-07-01 (UPDATED 2003-07-11) Chilean Blob: Not A Cephalopod
- A 12 meter long blob was found on a beach in Chile. It was suspected of being a giant octopus. Turned out to be decayed whale blubber.
- 2003-04-01 (UPDATED 2003-05-24) Colossal Squid Caught
- Fishermen near Antarctica have caught a rare, virtually intact specimen of Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni (or "colossal squid") -- a very large, very aggressive squid with scores of razor-sharp hooks on its tentacles. Includes article round-up, photos and email from Steve O'Shea.
Recent Headlines
- 2022-06-30 Octopus Sightings Surge In Cornwall Waters (BBC)
- Cornwall Wildlife Trust said the last significant population boom for octopus was recorded on England's south coast in 1948. It is not known whether this year will classify as the first octopus boom in more than 70 years.
- 2022-06-24 Italian Researchers A Step Closer To Understanding Cognitive Abilities Of The Octopus (European Scientist)
- Researchers found that some crucial genes -- called transposons or jumping genes -- are active both in the human brain and in the brains of some species of octopus. (Original paper: "Identification of LINE retrotransposons and long non-coding RNAs expressed in the octopus brain")
- 2022-05-12 Octopuses Tragically Destroy Themselves After Mating. We May Finally Know Why. (Science Alert)
- By the time a young octopus wriggles out of its egg, its mother is already dead. A few months later, its father will die, too. Researchers figured out that the optic gland plays a role in an octopus's programmed death.
- 2022-05-10 "Mind-Boggling" Scrambled Genome Found In Cephalopods Could Explain Their Smarts. (Live Science)
- New genetic sequencing reveals that squid, octopus, and cuttlefish genes are mixed up, arranged in strange orders not seen in other, non-cephalopod species, possibly explaining how they evolved the most complicated nervous systems of any invertebrate.
- 2022-03-14 Octopuses Are Increasingly Using Trash For Shelter, Harrowing Study Shows (Science Alert)
- A systematic review of underwater photographs and videos from around the world has tallied 24 cephalopod species making their homes in marine litter.
- 2022-03-08 Ancient "Vampire" Cephalopod From 330M Years Ago Is A First Of Its Kind (Science Alert)
- The cephalopod (Syllipsimopodi bideni), belonging to the vampyropod or octopodiform superorder, pushes back the age of the group by about 82M years. "This is the first and only known vampyropod to possess 10 functional appendages." Original paper in Nature.
- 2022-01-20 What Scientists Learned By Putting Octopuses In MRI Machines (The Scientist)
- The size and complexity of cephalopod brain structures differ depending on the habitats the creatures occupy, a study finds.
- 2022-01-20 Deepest-Dwelling Squid Observed At Depth Of 6,200 Meters (phys.org)
- A pair of researchers has recorded on video a young bigfin squid swimming just above the seafloor at an approximate depth of 6,200 meters while they were looking for a sunken warship.
- 2022-01-13 Blanket Octopus Spotted For Only Fourth Time (ABC.net.au)
- Marine biologist recently spotted the blanket octopus (Tremoctopus violaceus). The rare species has only been spotted off Lady Elliot Island, AU, three times previously. The octopuses are nomadic creatures moving locations every couple of days.
- 2021-10-22 Baby Octopuses Grow Hundreds Of Temporary Organs, Then Lose Them Without A Trace (Live Science)
- They hide in holes and open like umbrellas -- but what the heck are "Kölliker's organs" for? Full paper: "Born With Bristles: New Insights on the Kölliker's Organs of Octopus Skin".
- 2021-08-26 Female Octopuses Throw Things At Males That Are Harassing Them (New Scientist)
- An analysis of footage of octopuses off the coast of Australia "throwing" shells and silt suggests that they intentionally target -- and often hit -- other octopuses. Full paper: "In the Line of Fire: Debris Throwing by Wild Octopuses".
- 2021-08-24 And Her Name Is... Gertie! (PDZA)
- After a week of public voting, fans chose Gertie as the name for the new giant Pacific octopus in the Pacific Seas Aquarium at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium.
- 2021-08-17 Unlike Humans, Cuttlefish Retain Sharp Memory Of Specific Events In Old Age (phys.org)
- Cuttlefish can remember what, where, and when specific events happened -- right up to their last few days of life. The research results are the first evidence of an animal whose memory of specific events does not deteriorate with age. Original paper: "Episodic-like memory is preserved with age in cuttlefish".
- 2021-08-15 Tatoosh Dies (Boston.com)
- The New England Aquarium reported their giant Pacific octopus "Tatoosh" passed away. "As an ambassador for his species, he inspired awe & helped educate Aquarium guests, while helping Aquarium staff further their knowledge of the needs & behavior of this species. He will be missed."
- 2021-07-09 Did a Cuttlefish Write This? (NY Times)
- Octopuses and squid are full of cephalopod character. But more scientists are making the case that cuttlefish hold the key to unlocking evolutionary secrets about intelligence.
- Show all previous headlines...
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