Sexually dimorphic characters and the related mating conduct in blue-lined octopus, Hapalochlaena fasciata. Credit score: Present Biology (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2025.01.027
A staff of neurologists, environmentalists and bioengineers on the College of Queensland, in Australia, has discovered that male blue-lined octopuses paralyze ladies previous to mating to keep away from being eaten. Of their learn about printed within the magazine Present Biology, the crowd captured a number of octopus samples and studied their conduct and necessary indicators as they mated.
Prior analysis has proven that some male octopuses have advanced a method to forestall being eaten via ladies when mating; one species, for instance, has advanced a sperm switch arm to permit itself a long way all the way through sex. On this new learn about, the analysis staff targeted their efforts on blue-lined octopuses. Feminine blue-lined octopuses are a lot higher than the men and feature been recognized to consume their companions after copulation.
The researchers captured a number of female and male specimens and seen them all the way through mating. They discovered that the men bit the ladies in some way that somewhat punctured the aorta, permitting access of a small quantity of poison.
The poison, tetrodotoxin, the similar poison utilized by pufferfish, paralyzed the feminine whilst the male copulated together with her. His efforts persevered till the feminine started to get better. The poison utilized by the male used to be made via micro organism that lived in its frame.
Copulation conduct of the blue-lined octopus, Hapalochlaena fasciata. Credit score: Present Biology (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2025.01.027
Tracking in their necessary indicators all the way through copulation confirmed that the feminine stopped respiring altogether after 8 mins—now not lengthy sufficient to kill her, however lengthy sufficient to be fixed. Her pores and skin colour additionally paled noticeably and her pupils constricted; the entire ladies examined had been not able to answer vivid flashes of sunshine or different stimuli. Briefly, all nerve keep an eye on used to be misplaced.
The researchers discovered that envenomating the ladies rendered them totally motionless and due to this fact not able to take part in copulation, and extra importantly, to the male, not able to reason him hurt later on.
After mating, all ladies lived to put their eggs 3 to 29 days later, although all of them confirmed proof of the chunk, corresponding to bumps and wounds.
Additional info:
Wen-Sung Chung et al, Blue-lined octopus Hapalochlaena fasciata men envenomate ladies to facilitate copulation, Present Biology (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2025.01.027
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