Handy Octopuses Surprise Scientists
**disclaimer** There has been much fuss about the correct plural form of octopus and it varies based on which dictionary you reference (and whether you’re going for Greek or Latin root) so for this blog entry, I will use “octopuses” as the original publication did. Don’t yell at me. Thank you kindly.
Until recently, invertebrates weren’t exactly regarded as the brightest crayon in the proverbial [creature] box. Veined octopuses off the coast of Indonesia are starting to change a few minds by exhibiting a more advanced cognitive ability; namely, using tools. Not “tools” in the traditional sense, as they are not performing major construction or hanging a photo but rather taking an object and intending it for future use.
These veined octopuses were found flushing mud out of buried coconut shells, stacking them for transport (which is a terribly awkward process if you’re an octopus — walking on “tiptoe” with the upturned shells clutched beneath you) and the finally turning the coconut shells into hard, protective tents.
This behavior is clearly calculated and thought to be more than just instinctive. “The fact that the shell is carried for future use rather than as part of a specific task differentiates this behavior from other examples of object manipulation by octopuses,” researchers wrote.
This puts these octopuses into the category of non-human tool users, along with chimps, monkeys, dolphins and crows. Not too bad for something more closely related to clams than people!
wiredscience.com
