How do octupuses mate?

Answer 1

When a female octopus is ready to mate she releases their equivalent of pheromones which attracts males who will sometimes fight over the right to mate with her. This chemical also helps prevent the larger male from being likely to eat the female - a common occurrence with octopi which is one reason smaller octopi often run from larger when seen.

Once accepted the male transfer's sperm packages called spermatophores using a special structure called a hectocotylus on the third right arm.

The female stores the sperm for later use and after the male has left will locate a den which she will seal off and prepare to lay eggs.

Laying eggs one at a time and fertilizing each as it is produced the female will lay about 200 eggs into a string which she then glues to the roof of the den. Over a three week period she will normally lay about 57,700 eggs - each of which in the case of the Giant Pacific Octopus is about 5mm long with an 11mm string attached.

Over the next six months or so the female will groom the eggs and protect them. She also blows water across the eggs to ensure oxygen supply while the fetuses develop.

When hatching arrives the female will help them out by blowing water currents across the eggs to help them break free. Once free they begin swimming towards the surface of the ocean where they will feed on small planktonic animals as well as be fed upon themselves by various predators.

Like many octopi the female Giant Pacific will die shortly after her newborns arrive but the hope is that of her 57,000 plus young at least 2 will survive to continue the reproductive cycle.

Answer 2

The female lays eggs and attaches these to something on the seabed and the males dart in and release sperm into the water round them.

Answer 3

Chromatophores are cells attached to the squid's arms. These help the squid communicate and attract mates.

Answer 4

No they cannot nor would they try. More than likely, the larger of the two would look upon the other as a possible prey item.

Answer 5

by swiming around