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    The Learning Kingdom's Cool Fact of the Day for June 18, 1999
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                 What octopus has suckers that glow?

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The deep sea octopus Stauroteuthis syrtensis has light-emitting organs
where other octopi have suckers.

Unlike most octopi, these bright orange animals live in deep, dark, open
water, where there is nothing to grab onto, and the prey they consume is
too small to grasp with suckers.  However, the small swimming creatures
they eat are attracted to light.

Stauroteuthis's suckers have evolved into light-emitting organs, guiding
their prey into the center of its webbed tentacles, where they are
trapped and eaten.  Scientists are excited by the discovery of this new
octopus, because it provides rare evidence of how light-emitting organs
evolve.

More about the unique light organs of Stauroteuthis syrtensis:
http://www.sciencenews.org/sn_arc99/3_13_99/fob7.htm
http://www.newscientist.com/ns/19990313/newsstory5.html

More Cool Facts about cephalopods (octopi, squid, and nautiluses):
http://www.cool-fact.com/archive/1998/03/12.html
http://www.cool-fact.com/archive/1998/11/19.html
http://www.cool-fact.com/archive/1999/05/06.html


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