Octopus sex is even weirder than you think
Researchers at Harvard University have discovered that the male octopus's mating arm can sense a female's sex hormones, allowing it to deposit sperm in the correct location. This unique mating strategy may help keep species separate and potentially give rise to new ones.
Male octopuses have a special mating arm called a hectocotylus, which they use to deposit sperm into the female's mantle. The hectocotylus is equipped with chemotactile receptors that allow it to 'taste' its surroundings and detect sex hormones. Researchers coaxed octopuses to mate in the lab and found that the male can detect the female's sex hormones even in total darkness. The female octopus releases a chemical signal, specifically the sex hormone progesterone, which guides the male's hectocotylus to the correct location. This unique mating strategy may be important for keeping species separate. The discovery was made by researchers at Harvard University and was published in the journal Science.
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