Octopuses, which are usually solitary creatures, don’t like other cephalopods invading their space. Even if that means making anything within reach into a weapon.
In a recently published study by a team of researchers in Australia, the US, and Canada, observations of wild octopuses casting shells and sand directly at other members of their species have raised questions over whether this unusual behavior is a deliberately antisocial act – or if passers by are accidentally in the line of fire.
Scientists discovered octopuses for the first time. Throwing objects at one anotherA scene of heated argy bargy off Australia’s eastern coast in 2015. Large numbersSydney Octopus (Octopus tetricusScientists have given the area Octopolis a name: ) congregate.
Now in a newly published study, they have determined that the flingers are mostly female – and they’re probably, at least in some instances, trying to ward off overly amorous males.
“Wild octopuses often throw material at our study sites.” This is achieved by collecting material, holding it in one’s arms, and then expelling it under stress. Researchers write.
“There were 90 throws made by females and 11 by males, an 8.9:1 ratio.”
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Many animals Toss debris at othersIt can be done for many reasons. It could be defensive or threatening behavior. Or it can be used for trapping prey. However, most animals that do this are not throwing things at their own species.
To find out why octopuses may like to toss shells, silt and algae at each others, a team of researchers headed by Peter Godfrey Smith of the University of Sydney began to observe the chucking.
They captured over 100 instances of Octopolis residents throwing debris at one another using non-invasive GoPro cameras that were left on-site. The octopuses could hold materials in their arms and then use them to move the material. siphonsTo blast water jets that will blow the material away up to several body lengths.
When they reviewed their recordings, the researchers found that there seemed two main types. The first involved housekeeping and keeping their comfortable dens clean of food and other waste.
The second attack was more specific. Octopuses were observed throwing material at other animals in targeted attacks. Overall, 55 instances of shells being thrown were recorded.
33% of the targeted throws hit the target. The best material for this task is silt. Targets were either females from nearby areas or males trying mate.
One notable example, which was recorded in 2016, shows a female octopus throwing material at a male ten times in a span of three hours and forty minutes. It also hit it five times. It was interesting to note that octopuses hit with such ejecta didn’t attempt to retaliate. However, they did attempt to duck sometimes (though not always successfully).
Another possible explanation, though less controversial, could be that the throws were not always directed at the target, but are a form frustration-based tantrum.
Researchers observed after several intense interactions that an octopus would throw objects in a way that did not seem to be directed at another octopus. It is difficult to conclude this because of the difficulty in assigning intent to animals, especially an alien species like octopuses.
In any case, throwing seems to have some kind of social role.
“Octopuses may therefore be added to a short list animals that frequently throw or propel objects and provisionally to the shorter list who throw their throws on other creatures.” Researchers write.
“If they are indeed targeted, these throws are directed at individuals of the same population in social interactions – the least common form of nonhuman throwing.”
This research was published by PLOS One.
A previous version of this article was published August 2021 when the study was still in preprint stage..
