Youtube user, MarcWildDives has a slew of amazing underwater videos available on his page. One of particular interest is this video featuring a Mimic Octopus imitating a sea snake. Enjoy!
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Octopus Jewelry from Amazon.com
I found some delightful goodies on Amazon.com! Below are my personal top picks form Amazon's selection of octopus jewelry. Enjoy!
Octopus Ring. "Sterling Silver / Platinum or 18K Plated Ruby Eye Octopus Ring Create a look that will capture attention! For all the sea and animal lovers out there, this is the ring for you. Designed from sterling silver with your choice of polished platinum or 18K yellow gold plating, it has a setting size of 1"L x 3/4"W and a height of 1/4". Bringing life to its eyes are two faceted round cut 1.5mm rubies. This finger-hugging design is perfect when you really want to make a statement! All weights pertaining to diamond weights are minimum weights. Additionally, please note that many gemstones are treated to enhance their beauty. Click here for important information about gemstone enhancements and special care requirements."
Octopus Earrings. "As of November 15, 2008, this item was out of stock. You may order it but it will take approximately 6-8 weeks for delivery and I cannot promise it before the holidays. FREE SHIPPING WITHIN THE UNITED STATES, INCLUDING HAWAII AND ALASKA! These earrings will be gift wrapped in a beautiful gift bag. In addition, a gift message can be added. Pink Sapphires: 1.86 Ct. Total Weight. Tsavorite Eyes: 0.12 Ct. Total Weight. Diamonds: 0.22 Ct. Total Weight. Matching ring and pendant available as well"
Octopus Necklace. "This image necklace features a purple octopus behind beveled glass and two studs in a beautiful sterling silver setting with design on the back. On a fine sterling silver chain with lobster claw clasp. Carmen de Anguis Jewelry by Angela Pitzker. (Dim: 16 inches long with 3/4 inch pendant)."
Octopus Ring. "This gold plated band supports a russet hued octopus, which is adorned with pave set CZs in shades of champagne, citrine, and bright mandarin sapphire. Two bezel set faux emeralds create hypnotic eyes, and her sparkling her pave tentacles wrap around your finger. This bling brings new meaning to the term "pirate treasure"!"
Octopus Ring. "Generally, undersea creatures aren't associated with glitz and glamour. Our CZ Octopus Ring, however, is a definite exception! This awe inspiring cocktail ring features the chic shape of an octopus, winding his arms around your finger. Only the underside is plain sterling silver; the rest of this ocean dweller is pave coated with faux diamonds. Two bezel set sapphire blue CZs form eyes, bringing a playful element to this statement piece!"
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Octopus Art Available on Binth.com
My never-ending search for octopus housewares sometimes leads me to some pretty fascinating places. After discovering the Octopus Cuddle Pillow on Binth.com, I thought I'd dig a little deeper and see if these purveyors of provocative and colorful designs had any octopus art. BINGO! I love the artwork available on Binth.com and am excited to share it with fellow cephalophiles. The prints below are available for purchase and range in price from $38 for a 3" x 3" matted, titled, and signed one of a kind print to $48 for a 5.5" x 5.5" matted, titled, and signed one of a kind print.
Octopus art from Binth.com
A one-of-a-kind octopus print for your home!
Every cephalophile loves the gift of octopus art!
Octopus art makes my day!
Couldn't your living room use a little octopus art?
How about some octopus art for your office?
All featured prints are available on Binth.com.
We are in no way affiliated with Binth.com - we just dig their art.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Octopus Species: Mimic Octopus
Appropriately named, this unique species of octopus has a very special skill: it can mimic several different sea creatures. The Mimic Octopus, which grows to about 2 feet in length, is found in the tropical seas of South East Asia and was not officially discovered until 1998. Like any other octopus, the Mimic Octopus is an intelligent mollusk with a boneless body, eight arms, each with two rows of suction cups. It catches pray with its arms and kills with it's hard beak, or paralyzes prey with a nerve poison, then sucks out the flesh.
While all octopuses have the ability to change color and even texture to hide among rocks and blend in with the sea floor, the Mimic Octopus actually impersonates other animals. The long list of creatures it has been seen masquerading as includes jellyfish, mantis shrimp, sea snakes, brittle stars, and lionfish.
It is believed that the Mimic Octopus developed its imitation technique to adapt to their environment, where they are prey as well as predator. Becoming a "poisonous" creature is often the best defense from being eaten by the many carnivorous sea creatures that patrol the waters. Mimicry also helps the Mimic Octopus sneak up on prey that would normally flee at the sight of an octopus; it can imitate a crab as a potential mate, only to devour the "suitor" it bamboozled.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Octopus Cuddle Pillow
In my search for fun octopus goodies to decorate my home with (and share with you) I found this snazzy octopus pillow on Binth.com.
"Original, modern designs screen-printed with water-based ink on organic linen - our pillows are truly something good to cuddle. Hand sewn in the USA and filled with down. 16"x16". Soft white organic linen, and down insert. $72"
If I had $72 to blow on an octopus pillow, this would be the one!
Friday, November 14, 2008
Baby Octopus Video
This video features footage taken by a diver off the coast of La Jolla, California. The video was shot in January of 2008, when the water temperature was about 52 degrees Fahrenheit. ScubaDubaDive, who filmed and posted the video also included some very useful octopus info in the video's description. He's got more great footage available on his Youtube channel, which I definitely recommend checking out!
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Octopus Cake Pan by NordicWare
For all you bakers out there, liven up your kitchen with this uber-cute octopus cake pan by Noridcware. I'm not so big on baking cake, but I sure do love eating cake. I'm sure this would be a smash hit with kids too!
The octopus pan boasts 5-star user reviews as well. It would make a rad gift for the octopus-lover on your Christmas list.
I don't know about you, but anywhere I can add a little octopus in my life, I like to do so!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Sugarlily Octopus Stationary
I just found some super-cute and inexpensive octopus stationary. I like that you can add a little octopus into the mundane tasks of everyday life. Ya' know, instead of just writing the old "to-do list" you get to write an "octo-do list" with the help of a smiley green cephalopod.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Octopuses Have "Living Ancestor", Part II
From: news.bbc.co.uk
Written by: Mark Kinver, Science and environment reporter
'Unprecedented project'
The deep-sea octopus study, along with dozens of other projects, form part of the census's fourth progress report, which will be presented at the World Conference on Marine Biology, which begins in Valencia, Spain, on Tuesday.
The overarching objectives of the global collaboration between CoML's scientists include:
- Advancing technology for discoveries
- Organising knowledge about marine life, and making it accessible
- Measuring effects of human activities on ocean life
- Providing the foundation for scientifically based policies
Dr O'Dor said that the main focus of the CoML for the remaining two years was to "synthesise" the data.
"Many of our projects have already completed their fieldwork and we have a lot of information," he observed.
 | CoML RESEARCH RESULTS  An array of receivers in the Pacific Ocean reveal fish migration routes  |
"What we are now trying to do is to bring all that information together in a form that allows the public to understand how much we have learned about the ocean and what lives in it."
As far as improving our understanding of life beneath the waves, Dr O'Dor said: "It has been successful beyond what I imagined when I first became involved.
"It will provide a baseline. We are not going to know everything about what is happening within the oceans, but we have samplings of most marine habitats.
"We are moving into this period of global warming, which is resulting in the acidification of the oceans, melting of the polar ice cap.
"We can use the first census as a benchmark to see what happens in the oceans over the next decade or more."
Meeting formally for the first time at the five-day gathering in Valencia will be the CoML's Science Council, which will take an overview of the 10-year Census.
"Over the past few years, there has been huge public interest in biodiversity because there is a legitimate concern about the changes being caused by humans," commented Patricia Miloslavich, the Census's co-senior scientist.
"The Science Council will (consider) what people have said about areas that have not been explored or taxonomic groups that have been overlooked in the past," she told BBC News.
"We have had this first census that has given outstanding and amazing results for many ecosystems and regions.
"But now that we have been able to identify where there are some gaps, we would like to explore these areas."
Dr Miloslavich added that the Science Council will also develop the objectives of the second census, which will run from 2010 until 2020.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Octopuses Share "Living Ancestor", Part I
From: news.bbc.co.uk
Written by: Mark Kinver, Science and environment reporter
Many of the world's deep-sea octopuses evolved from a common ancestor, whose closest living relative still exists in the Southern Ocean, a study has shown.
Researchers suggest that the creatures evolved after being driven to other ocean basins 30 million years ago by nutrient-rich and salty currents.
The findings form part of a decade-long global research programme to learn more about life in the world's oceans.
The first Census of Marine Life (CoML) is set to be completed in late 2010.
The project, which began back in 2000, involves more than 2,000 scientists from 82 nations.
The research into the evolution of deep-sea octopuses was part of a programme called the Census of Antarctic Marine Life (CAML), explained Ron O'Dor, CoML's co-senior scientist.
"Many of these octopuses were collected from the deep sea by a number of the CoML's different projects," he told BBC News.
"All of that material was brought together and made available to Dr Jan Strugnell, a biologist at Queen's University Belfast, and she used this material to carry out DNA studies.
"She was looking at the relationship between these different deep-sea octopuses and how they originated.
(Right) Octopus specimens collected by Census of Marine Life researchers.
"She has been able to trace the timeline for their distribution back 30 million years to a common ancestor."
The species could all be traced back to a shallow-water octopus that lived in the Southern Ocean. Today, the creature's closest living relative (Megaleledone setebos) can still be found in the icy waters around Antarctica.
Dr O'Dor added that Dr Strugnell's work also enabled her to identify how changes in the region's ocean played a pivotal role in the development of the new species, especially the emergence of a "thermohaline expressway".
"When you get an increase in sea ice, fresh water forms ice crystals and leaves behind high-salinity, high-oxygen water, which is denser than the surrounding sea water, so it sinks," he explained.
|  We can use the first census as a benchmark to see what happens in the oceans over the next decade or more  Dr Ron O'Dor, CoML's co-senior scientist |
"It gets mixed by sea currents and flows into all of the deepest parts of the ocean.
"At the time this process started, there was no oxygen at the bottom of the ocean, so it brought oxygen into these areas, and we can now see that the octopuses moved out from the Antarctic into deeper water."
Dr Strugnell's work, supported by the UK's Antarctic Funding Initiative (AFI) and the National Environment Research Council (Nerc), also showed how the creatures adapted to the new deep-sea environment.
One example was the loss of their ink sacs, because there was no need for the defence mechanism in the pitch black waters.
As well as being one of the CoML's highlights, the research is also being published in the journal Cladistics on Tuesday.