Thousands of octopuses have washed up on the shore of northern Portugal and scientists are stumped about why. They’re calling it an environmental disaster, and are issuing a rather strange warning.

BBC reports that while no cause is known, officials are warning the public not to eat the animals. Because staring at thousands of mysteriously dead octopuses would cause people rush to assume they make a safe dinner?

Aussie photos to be continued tomorrow.

As part of the Census of Marine Life, researchers have found the Lucy of the octopus world.  The best part?  It looks like Pearl of Finding Nemo fame.

“You made me ink!“

From the article:

The species could all be traced back to a shallow-water octopus that lived in the Southern Ocean. Today, the creature’s closest living relative (Megaleledone setebos) can still be found in the icy waters around Antarctica.

While we’re on cephalopods.  Here’s a video of a cuttlefish using its active camouflage.

This color-changing function is produced by groups of red, yellow, brown, and black pigmented chromatophores above a layer of reflective iridophores and leucophores, with up to 200 of these specialized pigment cells per square millimeter. The pigmented chromatophores have a sac of pigment and a large membrane that is folded when retracted. There are 6-20 small muscle cells on the sides which can contract to squash the elastic sac into a disc against the skin.

Here’s a photo of a cuttlefish blending in with some yarn:

Spooky how well it blends in with its environment.

David Gallo, a pioneer in ocean exploration, did a presentation on color changing underwater animals that included our unofficially featured ink buster. Ted Network provided the footage for all of us to be amazed.

Unreal. Yes, indeed.

Link via AquariumForums

Edit: Seems both Vlad and myself forgot that we’ve linked this video before.  Sorry for the dupe as this week’s got us all so excited!