The octopus stands out as a remarkable marine animal, recognized for its intelligence and distinctive physical traits. Among its many surprising features, the mouth is particularly unique, differing significantly from that of most other creatures. This specialized feeding apparatus allows the octopus to thrive as a predator in diverse ocean environments.
Location and External Appearance
The octopus’s mouth is located centrally on the underside of its body, precisely where its eight arms converge. From an external perspective, it appears as a relatively small, circular opening. The surrounding arms play a crucial role, manipulating captured prey towards this central aperture and often forming a protective enclosure during feeding. Unlike many vertebrates, the octopus’s mouth lacks lips or visible teeth on the outside. An interesting anatomical detail is that an octopus can squeeze its entire soft body through any space that is larger than its beak, which is the only rigid part of its body.
The Beak
The most prominent component of the octopus’s mouth is its beak, which strongly resembles that of a parrot. This structure is not made of bone or keratin, but rather of chitin, a tough chitinous material. The beak consists of two parts: an upper and a lower mandible, connected by a bridge and shoulder structure. This formidable beak possesses incredible strength, enabling the octopus to efficiently crush the shells of crabs and clams, or tear through the flesh of other prey. The upper beak can range from approximately 2.2 to 12.9 millimeters.
The Radula
Located internally, behind the beak, is the radula, a ribbon-like structure. This chitinous ribbon is covered in multiple rows of tiny, backward-pointing teeth. The radula functions much like a conveyor belt or a rasp, scraping and grinding food particles. It helps the octopus process its prey into smaller, manageable pieces after the beak has performed the initial crushing or tearing. New sections of the radula are continuously produced to replace worn-out teeth.
How the Mouth Functions
During feeding, the octopus first captures prey using its powerful arms and suckers. The prey is then manipulated towards the central mouth. The beak delivers a strong bite, capable of crushing hard shells or tearing softer tissues. Many octopuses also utilize venom, delivered through a salivary papilla near the beak, which paralyzes prey and contains enzymes that begin to dissolve internal tissues, effectively turning the prey’s insides into a liquid form for consumption. The radula then scrapes and transports these processed food particles down the esophagus.