The blue-ringed octopus is the only octopus to have a lethal toxin that can kill humans. Read here to learn about potential ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about biodiversity and the hidden quirks of the natural world. Go diving into the intertidal waters of the Great Barrier ...

With a split-second muscle contraction, the greater blue-ringed octopus can change the size and color of the namesake patterns on its skin for purposes of deception, camouflage and signaling.

Octopuses already exist in a strange corner of the animal world, with soft bodies, problem-solving brains, and the ability to change color in a blink. Even within that group, a handful of species push ...