Story: Octopus and squid

Octopus movement

This video shows a common octopus swimming and walking over the sea floor. Octopus move using a form of jet propulsion. Water is forced out of a special structure called a funnel, and the octopus is propelled in the opposite direction. Some species are well adapted to a life on the sea floor, able to nimbly pick their way over the terrain and squeeze into rocky crevices.

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How to cite this page:

Maggy Wassilieff and Steve O’Shea, 'Octopus and squid - Head-footed animals', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/video/7906/octopus-movement (accessed 20 April 2024)

Story by Maggy Wassilieff and Steve O’Shea, published 12 Jun 2006