A new study published in Nature reveals that some octopus species, specifically Octopus cyanea, engage in cooperative hunting with fish. These octopuses organize groups of fish, sometimes involving multiple species, and direct their collective efforts to capture prey. Researchers observed instances of octopuses even punching companion fish to ensure their participation in the hunt.
Octopuses have often been thought to prowl the seafloor solo using camouflage. But a new study suggests that some have surprisingly rich social lives.A new study shows that some members of the species Octopus cyanea maraud around the seafloor in hunting groups with fish, which sometimes include several fish species at once.
“We are very similar to these animals,” he added. “In terms of sentience, they are at a very close level or closer than we think toward us.”To understand the inner details of octopus lives, researchers dived for about a month at a reef off the coast of Eilat, Israel, and tracked 13 octopuses for a total of 120 hours using several cameras. The team followed the octopuses for 13 hunts, during which they observed groups of between two and 10 fish working with each octopus.
An Octopus cyanea hunts with a blue goatfish while a blacktip grouper lies in wait. “If the group is very still and everyone is around the octopus, it starts punching, but if the group is moving along the habitat, this means that they’re looking for prey, so the octopus is happy. It doesn’t punch anyone,” Sampaio said.
The data showed that a particular fish species, the blue goatfish, would roam off and lead the hunting groups in that direction, but the group of fish would linger if the octopus didn’t immediately follow. Questions remain, however, including whether certain octopuses recognize or prefer to hunt with a favorite fish companion.
Octopuses Social Behavior Hunting Intelligence Marine Life
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