mantle?

[Chef Reef]

What exactly is an octo's mantel? i used to think it was its beak untill someone said there small octos mantel was 3-4 inches. now im pretty sure it is what i was referring to as "its head".

 

[daddysquoc]

look ata picture of an octopus. it's bag-shaped head is usually referred ot as the mantle.

 

[Chef Reef]

heh thanks. :P i know it was a dumb question but i had to be sure.

 

[Tintenfisch]

That's OK, identifying the mantle isn't quite as intuitive as, say, the arms. Just to clarify, the mantle is the animal's body (the sac with all the internal organs); it ends at the opening through which the siphon protrudes. The true head is only the small roundish region with the eyes, beak and brain, and to which the arms attach.