One way to tell a male from a female octopus is to check out the suckers. While some have more than others, the suckers are always arranged in two rows down the arm. The number of suckers an octopus will have varies from species to species. Octopus suckers also have a piston-like feature that can strengthen their hold even more when something, like a fish or other prey, tries to pull away. Pressure is reduced in the larger inner chamber, creating suction and, as the arm muscles contract, it allows the octopus to grasp and pull objects. When pressed against an object, the flexible outer ring of the sucker takes the shape of the object and forms a watertight seal. They consist of several parts, including the outer ring and a muscled, interior cup. Much more than a simple suction cup, these grippers are quite complicated, biologically speaking. Squid and cuttlefish have tentacles, distinguished by having suckers only at the ends rather than running the length of the organ. We’ll start by saying that referring to octopus appendages as tentacles is actually a misnomer.
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