Friday Cephalopod: Octopus orgy!

i-e7ad5268e25ef2a258256f4fc655c920-octopus_kaurna_2.jpg
Octopus kaurna
(That's one female at the center of a mass of males)

Figure from Cephalopods: A World Guide (amzn/b&n/abe/pwll), by Mark Norman.

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The males die after mating don't they?

mhmmm...DP

I think technically it's a gangbang if there is only one female. If it were only one male and several females it would be a cluster fuck. I think you need at least two females and two males for an orgy.

I'm talking colloquially of course. Definitionally 'orgy' doesn't have numbers.

Whilst I like octopus (and esp. squid) sushi, that lady octopus must be really hungry eat all them other oct—whatever the feck the plural of octupus is—s/i/en/…

I'm sorry, when that many guys get in a pile with one gal, the lady is just there to preserve the illusion of heterosexuality. These self-hating octo-queens are lying to themselves about their real desires. Internalised homophobia in the cephalopod world - what a disappointment.

By commentarina (not verified) on 01 May 2009 #permalink

The males die after mating don't they?

ayup. In every species I can think of, anyway. However, there is some variability in exactly how long this takes. It's months for some, hours or days for others.

If you're curious as to why...

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090115145640AAY8yR7

some good links and discussion of semelparous mating strategies there.

This is why girls were afraid to join the computer club back when I was a teenager, I'll bet.

By Naked Bunny wi… (not verified) on 01 May 2009 #permalink

Won't someone think of the children?

Pee Zed is. Cool! Neat! Look at all them arms!

Anyways, there's no wardrobe malfunction there. Is it possible to do p0rn without a malfunctioning or missing wardrobe? But, come to think of it, there's no wardrobe shown at all… so yea, maybe it is p0rn.

But where's the bacon?

Aren't you supposed to put a "NSFW" label on these sort of pics?

By Physicalist (not verified) on 01 May 2009 #permalink

It seems unlikely that the female is an entirely willing participant in that pile-up. So I suspect it's more of a gang-rape than an orgy.

Free cephaloporn! I love it!!

I can't wait to get the frantic AFA e-mail about this latest ass-sult on American decency.

I once heard that sex is best with an odd number of participants. I thought; "Hey! I'm OK with just one, then". Then I thought; "Sex is much better with odd participants".

Kaurna Sutra.

"The males die after mating don't they?

ayup. In every species I can think of, anyway. However, there is some variability in exactly how long this takes. It's months for some, hours or days for others."

I think human males die after mating also. It may take up to 80 years........

Ahhh, yes. This takes me back to my college days.

By Victoriajoy (not verified) on 01 May 2009 #permalink

Speaking of tentacles -- PZ, if you are redecorating your house you might want to consider this furniture: http://tinyurl.com/cjlf5v

By Heracleum (not verified) on 01 May 2009 #permalink

Ooohhh yes baby!!! Thats right, ... no, no, a little higher please!

eddie @ #17...

Sex is much better with odd participants

Could be - depends what you're into.

blf @ #6

... oct—whatever the feck the plural of octupus is

Octopodes actually - octopus is literally eight-foot. From the Greek -pus = foot, hence for any word based on this root, the plural is -podes or -podas = feet. As in podiatry (feet doctoring). Also applies to platypus/platypodes. Octopuses is acceptable in general usage though, but not technically correct. The Latin singular -us to plural -i (as in radius/radii) is definitely WRONG, and will make you appear a crass idiot if you try it in educated company.

Hey PZ, can you please find us some hot monotreme porn too?? My mind boggles at the thought of echidnas copulating.

Octopodes actually

actually, I think you'll also find that colloquial usage amongst zoologists has the plural the same as the singular, unless you are speaking of different species, then it becomes octopuses.

much like it is for "fish".

one fish, two fish, red and blue fishes.

so one or more octopus (same species), more than one different species - octopuses.

depends on who you hang with, I guess: scientists or greeks.

No.3 you don't need any females for an orgy. Don't know if you need need any males - not my area of knowledge.

By gaypaganunitar… (not verified) on 01 May 2009 #permalink

IcyThyic- What if they are Greek Scientists?

Don't the French have the phase 'le petit mort' to describe passing out after orgasm?

By Last Hussar (not verified) on 01 May 2009 #permalink

Don't the French have the phase le petit mort to describe passing out after orgasm?

Fluent Français speakers can, probably will, and definitely should correct me, but I've understand that phrase (which translates as “the little death”) to mean the orgasm itself, but has been widened to include fainting afterwards.

This picture just cries out for a caption contest.

"I'll be your James Bond if you'll give me some octopussy"

Group hug! A hug does look a bit awkward with all those appendages though. Hmm ... that reminds me of dinner the other evening - grilled octopus.

By MadScientist (not verified) on 03 May 2009 #permalink