Octopuses, with their striking intelligence and unique eight-armed anatomy, capture human curiosity. Their ability to navigate complex environments and display remarkable camouflage makes them fascinating subjects. Many animal groups have distinct collective nouns, like a “flock” of birds or a “school” of fish. This often leads to questions about what a gathering of these enigmatic marine creatures might be called.
Unraveling the Collective Noun
There is no universally accepted formal collective noun for a group of octopuses. The most common and widely accepted plural form for multiple octopuses is simply “octopuses”. Some may incorrectly use “octopi,” but this pluralization is inaccurate as the word “octopus” originates from Greek, not Latin. Another, more grammatically precise plural from its Greek root is “octopodes,” though it is rarely used.
Despite the lack of a formal term, some informal or proposed collective nouns have emerged. “Consortium” is one such term that has gained some recognition for a group of octopuses. Other playful suggestions include a “tangle” or an “assembly” of octopuses. The absence of a widely recognized collective noun is directly linked to the typical behavior of these cephalopods.
The Solitary Nature of Octopuses
Most octopus species are solitary creatures. They inhabit individual dens, often found in rock crevices or abandoned shells, which they defend as their territory. This solitary existence is influenced by their predatory lifestyle; octopuses are ambush hunters, not animals that hunt cooperatively in groups. They rely on their individual camouflage and intelligence to capture prey such as crabs, clams, and small fish.
Octopuses interact with others only for reproductive purposes. After mating, which can sometimes involve aggression, the male often departs, and the female will guard her eggs until they hatch, after which she usually dies. Instances of octopuses gathering are rare, occurring under specific environmental conditions like abundant food or limited den sites, as seen in “Octopolis” and “Octlantis” off the coast of Australia. Even in these aggregations, interactions can be confrontational, with behaviors like den evictions and displays of aggression being common. An exception to this solitary rule is the Larger Pacific striped octopus, which has been observed living in groups of up to 40 individuals and even cooperating during hunting.