Underwater Bipedal Locomotion by Octopuses in Disguise

2005/03/24 by Christine L. Huffard, Farnis B. Boneka, Robert J. Full · 8 citations
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Neuroscience · Engineering · #Cephalopods and Marine Biology #Tactile and Sensory Interactions #Robotic Locomotion and Control

paper · doi:10.1126/science.1109616

openalex publication_date 2005/03/24 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28

Abstract

Here we report bipedal movement with a hydrostatic skeleton. Two species of octopus walk on two alternating arms using a rolling gait and appear to use the remaining six arms for camouflage. Octopus marginatus resembles a coconut, and Octopus (Abdopus) aculeatus, a clump of floating algae. Using underwater video, we analyzed the kinematics of their strides. Each arm was on the sand for more than half of the stride, qualifying this behavior as a form of walking.

Cited by

• An Embodied View of Octopus Neurobiology
• Learning and memory in Octopus vulgaris: a case of biological plasticity
• Defensive tool use in a coconut-carrying octopus
• Locomotion byAbdopus aculeatus(Cephalopoda: Octopodidae):walking the line between primary and secondary defenses
• Octopus arms exhibit exceptional flexibility
• Does Octopus vulgaris have preferred arms?
• Bipedalism [wikipedia]
• Octopus [wikipedia]