Diver forms months-long friendship with octopus in town rock pool

July 3, 2024 7:23 PM

Diver forms months-long friendship with octopus in town rock pool (this is not the diver from the Netflix show.) Scott Gutterson formed a friendship with the animal based on trust, mutual intrigue and a lot of touchy-feely arms.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries (5 comments total)

Related to something mentioned in the article: From Maggie Mae Fish, "The sublime horror of My Octopus Teacher"
posted by AlSweigart at 9:51 PM on July 3 [3 favorites]

I am fascinated by this article. I don't know why, but it brings up many questions. Was he shaking hands with the same tentacle every time or would Roxy extend any one of her eight tentacles? Do octopus have a dominant tentacle like most humans have a dominant hand? Do octopus have hand eye coordination? I assume the tentacles in the front where the eyes are, are the ones they use the most, but that is a guess.

Thanks for posting this.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 11:28 PM on July 3 [2 favorites]

@JohnnyGunn
I recall reading elsewhere that the tentacles are sort of autonomous (they have their own brains, or something?), so it probably doesn't quite work in any of the ways you described…

Maybe he really only befriended one of the tentacles?
posted by demi-octopus at 2:12 AM on July 4 [1 favorite]

Maybe he really only befriended one of the tentacles?
posted by demi-octopus at 5:12 on July 4 [+] [⚑]

monoeponysterical

...

AskMe: Maybe he really only befriended one of the tentacles?
posted by lalochezia at 4:29 AM on July 4 [3 favorites]

I find these creatures absolutely fascinating. They're way smarter than we ever imagined yet their lifespan is so short. It just seems to cruel.
posted by tommasz at 6:36 AM on July 4 [6 favorites]