Whales and Wiener Dogs

Giant Cephalopod

• The largest known species of octopus has not eight arms, but seven.
• The Dana Octopus Squid attacks prey with blinding flashes of light emitted from its arms.
• The colossal squid’s esophagus runs through its brain, and if it tries to swallow something too big, it will die.
• Females are larger than males, some as long as 46 feet
• Colossal Squid arms and tentacles are equipped with sharp hooks: some swiveling, others three-pointed
• They can have eyes more than 16 inches across - the largest in the animal kingdom.
• Much of what scientists know about giant cephalopods comes from examining beaks found in sperm whale stomachs.

Answers after the jump.

• FALSE: The largest known species of octopus has not eight arms, but seven.
  (The Seven-arm Octopus is so named because in males the hectocotylus (a specially modified arm used in egg fertilization) is coiled in a sac beneath the right eye. Due to this species’ thick gelatinous tissue, it is easily overlooked, giving the appearance of just seven arms.)
• TRUE: The Dana Octopus Squid attacks prey with blinding flashes of light emitted from its arms.
  
• TRUE: The colossal squid’s esophagus runs through its brain, and if it tries to swallow something too big, it will die.
• TRUE: Females are larger than males, some as long as 46 feet
• TRUE: Colossal Squid arms and tentacles are equipped with sharp hooks: some swiveling, others three-pointed
• TRUE: They can have eyes more than 16 inches across - the largest in the animal kingdom.
• TRUE: Much of what scientists know about giant cephalopods comes from examining beaks found in sperm whale stomachs.