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You are here: Home / Animals / Why Does an Octopus Change Color?

Why Does an Octopus Change Color?

July 7, 2020 by Karen Hill

Even though octopuses belong to a group of shellfish called mollusks, they have no outside shell. A tough skin, called a mantle, covers the octopus’ body. This mantle contains small bags of pigment, or coloring matter, which are connected to the animal’s nervous system.

Any outside stimulus that excites the octopus makes its skin change color. It can change to blue, purple, brown, red, gray, white, and sometimes even striped.

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Filed Under: Animals

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

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