How Clever Is An Octopus?

The Octopus is a sea dwelling invertebrate creature well known for its intelligence; they belong to the order Cephalopoda a sub classification of the phylum Mollusca. It has been seen that the Octopus exhibits highly complex behavior which according to most biologists is not instinctive but learned by way of observation as the parent octopuses die soon after the birth of the baby octopus.

Several experiments like finding one's way through a maze and recognizing different shapes have resulted in biologists presuming that the octopus employs memory and observation in its learning pattern; the mimic octopus is known to distort its body to hoodwink predators to resemble creatures like the lionfish, snakes and eels which are deemed dangerous.

An octopus is also a master at camouflage and can not only change color but can also remain still to resemble inanimate organisms like sea weed. The brain and nervous system of the octopus is highly developed with neuron cells found in its arms enabling it to perform complex movements; octopus have been known to have escaped from tanks through cracks and opened ship holds to eat the fish stored within.