Nine Brains, Eight Legs, Three Hearts, Two Eyes, One Beak

Is the title of this article describing an alien? No, just an octopus. Locally, octopus is called “squid.” This shell-less mollusk is also known as tako (Japanese) and he‘e (Hawaiian).

Octopus: The Predator

At first glance, whether seen in a fish market or at an aquarium, an octopus resembles a blob with multiple elongated legs. The Hawaiian proverb “He he‘e ka i‘a, he i‘a kino palupalu” refers to a weak person resembling an octopus, a soft-bodied creature with no backbone. In spite of having no internal skeleton, no hard shell, no sharp spine and no claws, octopus have successfully inhabited the shallow oceans. Many biologists view them as a combination of a “mean killing machine” and Houdini inhabiting the near-shore habitat. Their well-developed nervous system is responsible for their success.

There are about 300 species of octopus worldwide. We have two species in our waters, the (“day squid”) and the (“night squid”). The is most active during the morning and late afternoon. Both species can be found in shallow tidepools out to a depth