Report that a female octopus hit a male seeking mating and chased it away
Research teams such as the University of Sydney and Alaska Pacific University have observed octopuses driving away other octopuses by injecting objects such as shells and kelp.
In the Line of Fire: Debris Throwing by Wild Octopuses | bioRxiv
Female octopuses observed throwing stuff at males harassing them
https://phys.org/news/2021-08-female-octopuses-males.html
In 2015, Peter Godfrey-Smith and his colleagues, who led the study, observed a case where an octopus hits another octopus.
Fighting octopuses may be using shells as weapons --YouTube
At the time, it was unclear whether the octopus was intentionally targeted or accidental, so the research team observed multiple octopuses off the coast of Australia in Jervis Bay.
Octopuses have an organ called a funnel on their body to swim freely in the water. The octopus sprays water with a funnel that can be moved freely, and it can move in any direction with a jet stream, but this funnel may also spray shells, mud, algae, etc. When observed by Godfrey-Smith and others, it was confirmed that the octopus was spraying shells etc. in an attempt to drive away other octopuses, in addition to the purpose of moving obstacles and materials that make nests.
The gender ratio of octopuses living in the observed area is about 1.7 to 5 to 1 for males and females. However, the ratio of the number of times that the other octopus was sprayed was 11 times for males and 90 times for females, and it was found by observation by Godfrey-Smith and others that the ratio of spraying things to females is much higher. rice field.
According to Godfrey-Smith and others, some of the female individuals that were observed had shells and mud entwined in their legs and sprayed at the male octopus that was approaching mating. The number of times was 17 times in one hour at most. However, the control does not seem to be accurate, and 8 out of 17 hits another octopus that was nearby. I only hit the most active male octopus once.
Godfrey-Smith et al. Established social interaction because the method of injection was different when the octopus injects an object by blocking mating, intimidating, or reacting by approaching, and when injecting an obstructive object. It is presumed that the object is intentionally injected for the purpose. When the number of injections was classified according to purpose, 36% of the total was for the purpose of social interaction, 32% was for cleaning the nest, and 8% was for the injection of leftover food after meals.
Godfrey-Smith et al. 'No retaliatory behavior was observed in which an octopus was ejected and returned. We are interested in how injecting an object acts as a social interaction. I'm holding it. '
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