Biomechanics involved in octopus arm reaching

[Architeuthiscrazy]

Howdy,
I'm going to start an independent study with a prof here at TAMUG and am interested in the mechanics behind octopus arm reaching. I have been very unsuccessful in finding background info. I have only found two articles and both are more centered in neurobiology.
I'm basically just looking for any works on biomechanics with cephalopods.
Any help is most appreciated
Michael

 

[DHyslop]

Check out the 2/10 Nature (433, p595 - 596).

I like it, but it may be a little "arm wavy"

Dan

 

[Fujisawas Sake]

Hi A/C,

Check out the journals Copeia, Journal of Malacology, and Malacologica. I would suggest going back at least ten years from present date. I'll make some phone calls and see if I can find out anything more.

Sushi and Sake,

John

 

[Fujisawas Sake]

Check that ... Malacologica and Nature seem to be the best advice. Also, contact the NRCC. Good luck on the research!

Sorry, but I'm "pissed as a chook" as Steve O' would say... Been drinking with my wife and members of the Wildlife Dept. at HSU. Today was Wildlife Conclave, and I got to help dissect a cougar, and a deer, and get to learn more about wildlife around the area than I thought possible. Then the drinking started and I remember talking about zoology with someone... and then...

Oh, I'm going to hear about this tomorrow...

John

 

[Architeuthiscrazy]

Thanks for the help, I'll be looking into all sources and give an update, or post if I have more questions (which is most likely the case).
Michael

 

[Steve O'Shea]

There's a VERY interesting article due out in the next issue of 'Science' regarding this very subject, and a follow-up piece in 'New Scientist', but I'm afraid that I am not at liberty to talk about it (it is not my work; I'm just privy to a little inside information).

Keep your eyes peeled next week. If anyone has seen any behaviour comparable to that about to be reported I'd be very interested in hearing about it.

 

[um...]

You've come across this site already, haven't you?

 

[monty]

This guy has done a lot of work on the musculature of cephs: Kier, William M. - UNC DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY

I think he has a chapter in the Mollusca many-volume set a lot of university libraries have, and quite a bit more recent stuff.

 

[um...]

Bill Kier rules, and that article in The Mollusca was splendid. Anyone with access to it should read it, and those who don't might try to get at least a little taste of the relevant stuff from here. That article on octopus suckers by Kier and Smith could also do with a touch of 'popularizing' somewhere here at TONMO.com.

 

[Jean]

Also look for papers by or co authored by Natalie Moltchaniwskyj She does some work on ceph musculature (based at Uni Tasmania in Launceston)

J