An octopus is a soft–bodied, eight–limbed

mollusc of the order octopoda. The order consists

of some 300 species and is grouped within the
class cephalopoda with squid, cuttlefish and
nautiloids.
Lifespan: giant pacific Octopus 3–5years
Scientific name: octopoda
Higher classification:octopodiformes
Phylum: mollusca.

Octopus(octopuses or octopi) in general, any

eight armed cephalopod(octopod) mollusk of the
order octopoda. The true octopuses are member
of genius octopus , a large group of widely
distributed shallow water cephalopods.

Octopuses vary greatly in size:the smallest,

O.arborescens is about 5cm( 2 inches)long,while
the largest species may grow to 5.4metres(18
feet) in length and have an arm span of almost
9metres( 30 feet) the typical octopuses has a
saccular body: the head is only slightly
demarcated from the body and has large, complex
eyes and eight contractile arms. Each ams bears
two rows of fleshy suckers that are capable of
great holding power. The arms are joined at their
bases by a web of tissue known as the skirt, at the
centre of which lies the mouth. The latter organ
has a pair of sharp, horny beaks and a file like
organ, the radula for drilling shells and rasping
away flesh.
The octopus takes water into it mantle and
expels water after respiration through a short
funnel or siphon. Most octopuses move by
crawling a long the bottom, with their arms and
suckers, though when alarmed they may shoot
swiftly by ejecting a jet of water from the siphon.
When endangered they eject and inky substance,
which is used as a screen, the substance
produced by some species paralyzes the i organs
of the attacker.

The best known common octopus is the common

octopus, O.vulgaris, a medium sized animal that is
widely distributed in tropical and temperates seas
throughout the world. It lives in holes or crevices
along the rocky bottom, and is secretive and
retiring by nature.