Octopus is the animals that appeared approximately 500 million years ago and
are generally found in the seas and oceans. The octopus crawls along the ocean
bottom on its arms searching for its favorite foods. In the larger sense, there
are around 300 recognized octopus species, which is over one-third of the total
number of known cephalopod species and they are found in seas throughout the
world.
Most of them are harmless. A typical octopus has a baglike body, and relatively
long arm consisting of large eyes without fins. They are categorized by their
eight long hands. Their eight long, slender arms reach out in all directions.
Each arm consists of two rows of fleshy suckers that have a strong holding power.
Octopus inhabit sea grass beds in bays and coastal waters as well as coastal
reefs.
Octopuses vary greatly in size. The smallest are about 2 inches (5 centimeters)
long. The largest may grow to 18 feet (5.5 meters) in length and have an arms1pan
of almost 30 feet (9 meters). Octopuses often escape even from supposedly secure
tanks, due to their high level intelligence, problem solving skills, mobility
and lack of rigid structure. Around the world, octopuses are consumed as food
in many countries around the world.
