Octopus porn

[Gonodactylus]

Shot this video of Octopus chierchiae mating this morning. It may be a bit graphic for all audiences, but I figure people on this forum can take it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RX7IY578_c0

Enjoy.

Roy

 

[Brock Fluharty]

Was wondering how this project was coming along.

Nice work.

 

[Koshmar]

I like the fact that you put what was happening in the info box on You-tube. I really didn't know much about what I was seeing until I read that. I guess I'm showing my lack of experience....:lol:

 

[micstarz]

Only Dr. Roy could get away with such a thread title :lol: :lol:

 

[Gonodactylus]

The male achieved penetration several times during the mating. I had missed this sequence. I think it is even clearer what is going on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1R4dA9K6LXc

Roy

 

[Koshmar]

"Octopus chierchiae is a rare dwarf octopus from the Pacific coast of Central America that is iteroparous meaning that unlike most octopus, the female does not die after brooding her young. "
-These were your words Dr. Caldwell.

That fact about not dying after brooding interests me greatly. I believe this was discussed before but I would love to know why most cephs die after brooding. I believe your response was that it is still not know. In your opinion, would you believe this to be a genetic factor or some kind of species dependent action relating to brooding habits? Granted, innate behavior is governed by genetic sequences, but is there some way that death could be avoided through manipulation of behavior? Is there any difference on how this species cares for/births the young from other terminal species?

 

[Gonodactylus]

It is a species specific life-history trait that appear genetically fixed. I suspect the behavior has evolved in conjunction with the type of cavities occupied. They appear to live in very small, easily defended cavities.

The bottom line is we haven't a clue why this one species is iteroparous - but then neither do we understand why most octopus are semilparous. And if you really want to scratch your head, why should tropical male octopus be semilparous (sort of - and it is understandable why seasonal breeders are) when they do not participate in brooding or offer anything but their sperm to the female or her offspring?

Roy

 

[Koshmar]

Thank you for the quick response Dr. Caldwell. If I ever did get into genetic sequencing marine invertebrates, I would love to probe into identifying the operon which governs this trait. I'm sure it's more complicated than simply switching off a gene but imagine being able to keep any kind of octopus which doesn't die within a short time frame of breeding. The male semilparous issue does have me scratching my head. I would take a wild stab that through simple natural selection, those octos that died shortly after giving birth did not have the chance to consume or kill their own offspring within the same area and therefore their offspring proliferated to a much greater extent than those who survived their own reproductive actions. Simplistic, yet it sounds rather valid.

 

[Gonodactylus]

Most octopus have dispersing paralarvae that are planktonic. I can see your arguement working for large egged species that don't disperse (very far), but not for most semilparous species that will probably not encounter their offspring. Also, of course, O. chierchiae, the one iteroparous species that we know anything about has demersal larvae!

Roy

 

[toddy boy]

Nice videos! Nothing like some good octopus porn! lol