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Octopus quiz: Are you a sucker for cephalopod science?

April 04, 2026 • 5 min read • views
Octopus quiz: Are you a sucker for cephalopod science?
  1. Animals
  2. Mollusks
  3. Octopuses
Octopus quiz: Are you a sucker for cephalopod science?

Quizzes By Kenna Hughes-Castleberry published 4 April 2026

This quiz tests what you know about octopus anatomy and behavior.

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A large rust colored octopus floats next to a white stony reef. A Hawaiian day octopus (Octopus cyanea) floats in shallow water. (Image credit: Douglas Klug via Getty Images)
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Octopuses are a useful reminder that complex life can be organized in very different ways. With no backbone, their anatomy departs sharply from the body plans many people are familiar with. They are classified as cephalopods, a class of animals that includes squid, nautiluses and cuttlefish.

Octopuses can rapidly change the color and texture of their skin, manipulate objects with remarkable dexterity, and navigate environments that demand both flexibility and control. Scientists study these traits because they offer insight into how perception, movement and problem-solving evolved in invertebrates.

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Sign up for the Live Science daily newsletter nowContact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Kenna Hughes-CastleberryKenna Hughes-CastleberryContent Manager, Live Science

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry is the Content Manager at Live Science. Formerly, she was the Content Manager at Space.com and before that the Science Communicator at JILA, a physics research institute. Kenna is also a book author, with her upcoming book 'Octopus X' scheduled for release in spring of 2027. Her beats include physics, health, environmental science, technology, AI, animal intelligence, corvids, and cephalopods.

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