You Won’t Believe What Octopus Ink Is Actually Made Of
Octopuses are well-known for their ink. There are many ways that cephalopods use ink, primarily as a defense. When these creatures release the ink, their predators attack the ink cloud instead of the cephalopod itself, allowing for an easy getaway. In this video, you can learn more about this famous defense mechanism of the deep. The “ink” is actually a combination of melanin and mucus. This combination is stored in a series of sacs, and released from the same siphons through which octopuses expel waste. .
The color of ink expelled depends on the species of the cephalopod. Octopus ink is usually black; squids produce dark blue in; and cuttlefish ink is generally a shade of brown. The ink from cephalopods is not toxic, contrary to popular belief. However, squids and octopuses do have venom glands completely unrelated and separate from the ink sacs.
For more information about octopus ink, watch the video below!
