Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Vishwam Sankaran

Scientists discover why female octopuses self-mutilate to death after laying eggs

Tom Kleindinst, Marine Biological Laboratory

A drastic change in steroid hormone levels in female octopuses after they lay eggs causes them to mutilate themselves to death, a new study has revealed.

Cephalopods, a group that includes octopuses and squids, have the largest central nervous systems and the greatest brain-to-body mass ratios among spineless creatures. However, cephalopods are unusually short-lived, unlike other big-brained animals.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.