Octopus Specialists

[OctopusV]

I just was wondering if there is any proof that certain species of Octopus excell in certain types of thinking, I've searched for info, and haven't found anything that points to that, but maybe one of you more experienced members may know. Please post both knowledge and theories, OV!

 

[o.vulgaris]

I don't think that there is anything online, scratch that--there is anything online, try out a search engine.

 

[OctopusV]

Ok, thanks, I'll go try that out!
EDIT: Couldn't find anything! Everything I found was too general and didn't help at all! Maybe or another specialist on this site could lend a little insght.

 

[Nancy]

There's a lot of research left to be done on octopus behavior. However, some of our members may have some experiences or insight - you've posted this over the Thanksgiving holiday, so be patient, not all our members are online at the moment.

I haven't personally come across anything on this subject and my personal experience is with only one species.

Nancy

 

[OctopusV]

Okay! Thanks Nancy, and just out of curiosity, which species was it?

 

[Nancy]

Hi OctopusV,

I have Ollie, a female O.bimaculoides (bimac). She's been with me since last March.

If you look back through the Journals and Photos, you'll find lots of Ollie pics.

Nancy

 

[Steve O'Shea]

Re: Octopus Specialists

I just was wondering if there is any proof that certain species of Octopus excell in certain types of thinking, I've searched for info, and haven't found anything that points to that, but maybe one of you more experienced members may know. Please post both knowledge and theories, OV!

That's a really good question!!! I'm not familiar with any comparative work having been done either. This would be a fantastic subject for someone to research - focus to date really has been on who's the largest, longest or heaviest, or with research concentrating on differentiating species - but just who the most 'intelligent octopus' is .... well, there's a documentary in that!
O

 

[OctopusV]

Thanks, Prof. O'Shea, I've wanted to speak with you ever scince I saw you in one of Clyde F. E. Roper's televised expeditions. If I'm lucky, someday there will be an experiment to find this out, with all the bigwigs of the teuthology feild participating, but alas, it is still just an idea.

 

[Steve O'Shea]

..... not too sure who that Prof fella is. You know that you don't have to wait to undertake experimentation like this; as Tonmo community such an experiment could be undertaken (although there would be many different tank environments/few controls).

Determine the species, come up with a series of simple tasks, and see what species does what, in how long, and whether any particular octopus species is a savant.

You'd all have to introduce some controls (it would best be done at one laboratory, but for now why not experiment across the Tonmo community). You could iron ouyt a few problems this way, before undertaking a larger-scale controlled experiment.
Cheers
O

 

[Nancy]

I think it would be worthwhile to enlist the Tonmo (octopus-keeping) community for suich experiments.

Even the various reports of what our octopuses are doing could be valuable - look at Ink, living on long after egg laying. Or both Ollie and Ink eating during this period, while a lot of the literature says that octis don't eat after they lay eggs.

We mostly have bimacs, with a few members of other species in our community.

Nancy