The Giant Pacific Octopus

15 Points Per Correct Answer - No time limit  

1. The giant Pacific octopus is a top predator, feeding on bivalves, crustaceans, mollusks and fish. Part of its extraordinary hunting ability comes from the suckers on the arms. What sense do the suckers use to help the octopus hunt? Touch Taste All of these Smell

2. The third right arm of a male octopus has a special tip, called the ligula. What function does the ligula serve? It feeds a female food in the mating ritual. We don't know what it does. It senses when a female is around. It presents a spermatophore to the female.

3. In 2009, an American woman was in the news for giving birth to octuplets, bringing her total number of children to 14. The tabloids dubbed her "Octomom." How many times can real octo-moms reproduce? Twice in their lives. Once in their lives. Once a year. Twice a year.

4. Octopuses are in the class Cephalopoda, meaning head-foot. (I think you can guess why.) What group of animals would you be most likely to see at an octopus family reunion? Sea stars Marine snails Swordfish Snakes

5. At birth, the giant Pacific octopus is considered plankton. True False

6. When an octopus wants to, it can change color almost instantly! What are their color-changing skin cells called? Chromalichters Chromatophores Crumpets Chlorosomes

7. If you dissected a giant Pacific octopus, what body part might you think came from another animal? The gallbladder looks like a sheep's gallbladder. The tongue looks like a snake's tongue. The mouth looks like a parrot's beak. The eyeball looks like a human eyeball.

8. Octopuses are often considered the smartest invertebrates. What have we seen octopuses in captivity do? Recognize human faces All of these! Escape from their tanks Cause expensive destruction of property

9. If you are diving, how can you tell where a giant Pacific octopus lives? The den area is neater than the area around it. The den area is made of stone. The den area is full of live crabs. The den area is surrounded by shells and carapaces.

10. What is the best reason not to bother a giant Pacific Octopus in the wild? Its bite would be unpleasant. You would go to jail. It wouldn't be polite. It could strangle you with its arms.