Science Friday Octopuses Use Suckers To ‘Taste’ Harmful Microbes
Sep 8, 2025
In a fascinating discussion, Dr. Nicholas Bellono, a molecular biologist from Harvard, dives into the remarkable sensory systems of octopuses. He reveals how these creatures use their suckers not just for grabbing, but for 'tasting' their environment, especially to detect harmful microbes on crab shells. This unique ability impacts their feeding and reproductive behaviors. The conversation also touches on the intriguing sensory structures in their arms and how these adaptations redefine our understanding of octopus intelligence and interaction with their surroundings.
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Arms As Chemotactile Sensors
- Octopus suckers house receptors that bind environmental molecules, enabling a taste-by-touch sense.
- This chemotactile approach detects insoluble molecules that adhere to surfaces rather than dissolved cues in water.
Microbiomes Tell An Octopus A Surface
- Octopuses may identify surfaces by the microbes living on them rather than the surface itself.
- Different microbial communities on crabs and eggs could inform octopuses about food safety or egg health.
Mother Octopuses Clean And Cull Eggs
- Bellono describes octopus mothers gently cleaning eggs and occasionally rejecting bad eggs from a clutch.
- Microscopy showed eggs in the clutch carry a distinct microbial community that changes when eggs are removed.