Meet the Gloomy Octopus: Not So Solitary After All

For decades, scientists thought the gloomy octopus preferred to be alone. These creatures supposedly lived solitary lives and avoided contact with others. But recent discoveries have changed everything we thought we knew about these eight-armed animals.

Octopus Communities Discovered

Scientists found two bustling octopus settlements called Octopolis and Octlantis. These places are home to several gloomy octopuses who live close to each other. While scientists say these settlements aren't true cities (they lack culture, commerce, and design), the octopuses might disagree.

Shell Gardens and Home Maintenance

These eight-armed creatures are serious about home improvement. They carefully maintain shell gardens around their dens. These shells help keep their homes strong and protected. It's like underwater landscaping, but with a purpose.

Complex Social Lives

The most surprising discovery is how these octopuses communicate. They change colors to send messages to each other. Different colors can mean different things - like warning about a fight or showing peaceful intentions.

Throwing Shade (and Objects)

Female octopuses have developed a unique way to deal with annoying neighbors. When a male octopus bothers a female, she might start throwing debris at him repeatedly until he leaves. Talk about making your point clearly!

Scientists aren't completely sure if this throwing behavior is intentional or just accidental garden cleaning. Gloomy octopuses are known to toss things when tidying up their homes. But the pattern of throwing objects when annoyed suggests there might be more to this behavior.

A New Understanding

This discovery is exciting because it shows gloomy octopuses are more social than we ever realized. They communicate with neighbors and even express feelings like annoyance. It's as if they're starring in their own underwater reality show - "The Real Mollusks of the Sea."

These new insights into octopus behavior help us better understand these intelligent creatures. While throwing things at your neighbors might seem rude by human standards, for octopuses it's just another day in their complex social world.