Male octopuses use a specialised arm to place a package of sperm inside the female. Scientists have found the arm is a sensory organ, similar to a tongue, that can detect the female hormone progesterone. This allows it to seek out and fertilise a mate, even if the male cannot see its sexual partner.
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#OctopusScience #MarineBiology #SexualSelection
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#OctopusScience #MarineBiology #SexualSelection
the Guardian
Sex at arm’s length? Male octopuses use specialised arm to mate, scientists find
Sensory organ in male cephalopod able to detect female hormone progesterone, even if male cannot see partner
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Science News
Male octopuses use a specialised arm to place a package of sperm inside the female. Scientists have found the arm is a sensory organ, similar to a tongue, that can detect the female hormone progesterone. This allows it to seek out and fertilise a mate, even…
🐙 Scientists discovered male octopuses use a specialized arm, the hectocotylus, as a sensory organ, similar to a tongue, to detect the female hormone progesterone.
🐙 This allows males to locate and fertilize females even without sight, as the arm can detect the female’s reproductive tract.
🐙 Researchers observed this behavior by separating male and female octopuses with a barrier, where the male's specialized arm could reach through and locate the female.
🐙 Experiments with tubes filled with substances confirmed that progesterone alone is sufficient to trigger key mating behaviors in male octopuses, with receptors on the arm tip involved in sensing it.
#OctopusScience #MarineBiology #AnimalBehavior
🐙 This allows males to locate and fertilize females even without sight, as the arm can detect the female’s reproductive tract.
🐙 Researchers observed this behavior by separating male and female octopuses with a barrier, where the male's specialized arm could reach through and locate the female.
🐙 Experiments with tubes filled with substances confirmed that progesterone alone is sufficient to trigger key mating behaviors in male octopuses, with receptors on the arm tip involved in sensing it.
#OctopusScience #MarineBiology #AnimalBehavior
Science News
A unique cellular trick may explain octopus intelligence. A newly discovered change in ribosomal RNA makes protein production more precise, potentially safeguarding these cephalopods’ complex nervous systems Read Full Article #OctopusIntelligence #RibosomalRNA…
🐙 Octopuses possess a unique evolutionary advantage: a rare genetic mutation enabling their cells to create proteins with exceptional accuracy.
🔬 This mutation, found only in octopuses and appearing around the time their complex nervous systems evolved, may help prevent harmful protein clumps in neurons.
💡 Researchers discovered this innovation accidentally while studying octopus RNA, noting an unusual break in ribosomal RNA that differs from all other studied animals.
🧠 While a direct link to intelligence is not yet proven, the timing of the mutation aligns with the emergence of sophisticated octopus behaviors.
💊 This discovery holds potential for human health, possibly leading to new treatments for neurological diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's by mimicking the octopus's protein-making accuracy.
#OctopusScience #Evolution #Neuroscience
🔬 This mutation, found only in octopuses and appearing around the time their complex nervous systems evolved, may help prevent harmful protein clumps in neurons.
💡 Researchers discovered this innovation accidentally while studying octopus RNA, noting an unusual break in ribosomal RNA that differs from all other studied animals.
🧠 While a direct link to intelligence is not yet proven, the timing of the mutation aligns with the emergence of sophisticated octopus behaviors.
💊 This discovery holds potential for human health, possibly leading to new treatments for neurological diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's by mimicking the octopus's protein-making accuracy.
#OctopusScience #Evolution #Neuroscience