Are Octos Cold Blooded?

[DWhatley]

I assumed that they were but realized I have never seen it mentioned.

 

[monty]

I assumed that they were but realized I have never seen it mentioned.

I think the only "warm blooded" animals are birds and mammals, but I guess the exact definitions of "warm" vs "cold" are a little in dispute. I don't know of any way that a ceph can regulate its temperature, though; I think they just follow the temperature of the water.

 

[DWhatley]

That was my train of thought but since their biology is sooo different, I thougt it strange that I had never seen it mentioned. I have always thought cold blooded meant the ability to regulate (to some extent) body temperature but there is a difference in the way lizards, snakes and frogs (and others I am sure) can almost freeze and shut down their systems but not really be impacted by extremes where others just expire if the temperature is not suitable.

 

[monty]

That was my train of thought but since their biology is sooo different, I thougt it strange that I had never seen it mentioned. I have always thought cold blooded meant the ability to regulate (to some extent) body temperature but there is a difference in the way lizards, snakes and frogs (and others I am sure) can almost freeze and shut down their systems but not really be impacted by extremes where others just expire if the temperature is not suitable.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold-blooded has a lot of interesting stuff to say on the subject... it seems roughly on target with other things I've read...

 

[Opcn]

Cephs are all throughly cold blooded; birds, Mammals, and some fish (marlin and several kinds of sharks) are warm blooded and some insects show the ability to control their body temperatures although I do not know if that is considered warm blooded or not.

 

[DWhatley]

Monty,
Good find on the topic!