![]() They usually have two sets of tentacles on the head. The pulmonate land snails are the most familiar. Several mollusks possess tentacles of different forms. A nautilus, for instance, has cirri whereas, squids possess tentacles. Tentacles are similar to cirri (singular: cirrus), though cirri lack the strength, flexibility, size, and sensitivity of a tentacle. Moreso, some tentacle types possess both sensory and manipulatory functions. An example of such sensory tentacles is the eyestalks of several kinds of snails. They are variously receptive to vision, touch, or to the taste or smell of certain food or threats. Several forms of tentacles are used for feeding and grasping. The anatomy of an animal’s tentacle is mainly like muscular hydrostats. Tentacles can be defined in zoology as the flexible, mobile, and elongated organs that some animal species possess. In scientific literature, the arms of these animals are distinct from tentacles. Even though arms and tentacles are used interchangeably when referring to cephalopods, there is a huge difference between these two. However, in the context of an octopus, calling its appendages arms or legs is way acceptable than calling them tentacles. The fact is, calling these appendages arms or tentacles depends on the organism and the structure of the appendages. These appendages in cephalopods are muscular hydrostats and are variously called tentacles, arms, or legs. Their appendages extend from their head and surround their beaks. It is important to know that all animals that belong to the class cephalopod, including the octopus have flexible appendages. However, let us understand what a tentacle is and compare it with the appendages an octopus has. ![]() Hence, it is assumed that they have six arms and two legs.Īs earlier said octopuses do not have tentacles. Octopuses seem to prefer using the first 3 pairs of their appendages for feeding, grabbing, and handling objects while the rear two appendages function as legs. Hence in this regard, it is correct to say that octopuses don’t have tentacles but arms.įurther observations on octopuses suggest that the rear two of the octopus arms are mainly used by the octopus as legs whereas, the other six are used as arms. Whereas, an arm is shorter and stronger compared to a tentacle. Tentacles are said to retract and have suckers only around their tips. Some specialist, however, has emphasized a distinction between tentacles and arms. However, although a lot of people commonly describe the eight limbs of an octopus to be tentacles. This term is used to group these animals because their limbs are attached to their head. The Latin term cephalopods are translated to mean “headfeet”. They belong to the same class as squids and cuttlefish. Picture of an octopus showing the arms which are wrongly referred to as the Tentacles.
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