Why Does This Octopus Carry Shells Around?
April 24, 2017 - You might not think of cephalopods among species known to use tools, but the coconut octopus demonstrates what is believed to be tool use when it carries shells around the ocean floor. The behavior has been previously observed by coconut, or veined, octopuses off the coast of Indonesia, where this footage was also filmed. Though other octopuses have been observed manipulating their environment, such as moving rocks to form a barricade, scientists believe carrying shells is a form of tool use in these invertebrates because they carry the shells for future use and must assemble them properly to form a shelter.
Read more about this rarely filmed cephalopod behavior and the diver's interaction with this particular coconut octopus.
Why is this octopus carrying around shells?
Known as the coconut octopus, it extends its arms around the shells and “stilt walks.”
When threatened, it creates a dome-like shelter with the shell halves.
Found along the coast of Indonesia, the octopus will also carry coconut shells discarded by people.
Carrying the shells may slow the octopus down, but it always has a place to hide.
