Playful Octopus Chases a Green Laser Light Like a Cat

While exploring the twilight zone of St. Rogatien Bank in Hawaii‘s Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Sanctuary, 323 meters (1,059 feet) below the surface, the ROV Hercules, launched from the E/V Nautilus, encountered a playful octopus who adorably chased its green scaling lasers like a cat. The excited crew noted how unusual this behavior was in the deep sea, while Nautilus Live reflected on what it might reveal about octopus vision:

Watching the cat-like curiosity behavior of this octopus reminds us of how intelligent cephalopods likely are, and hints at vision that is likely different for this twilight-depth living species, rather than its abyssal depth relatives.

via Neatorama

Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.