据英国《每日邮报》报道，美国加州大学伯克利分校的一项新研究发现野生章鱼是一种古怪的海洋动物，存在残暴的嫉妒谋杀、性欺骗和一生只产一次卵现象。
美国加州大学伯克利分校的研究人员前往印尼水域对野外章鱼进行了详细研究，发现野生章鱼绝对不是那种害羞的平淡无奇的孤独者，而是会调情、牵手，还会嫉妒谋杀和性欺骗，以及防备情敌接近它们的配偶。总之，章鱼的爱情生活比先前所认知的要复杂得多。
科学家将此发现发表在最新出版的《海洋生物技术》（Marine Biotechnology）期刊上。
此论文的第一作者、该校研究生克里斯廷·胡法德（Christine Huffard）深入印尼海域对一种名为“Abdopus aculeatus”的章鱼观察了好几周，揭示了这种没骨头动物的感情世界。这种章鱼身体尖长，体色灰黑，小橘子一般大小，触角长约20-25厘米。研究人员发现雄章鱼认真选择配偶，并一连数天好好保护他们的“新房”，它们如此妒忌，以至于不准竞争对手越雷池一步，如果对手太靠近，雄章鱼会伸出触角将它们扼死。而体型较小的雄章鱼则会模仿雌章鱼的游姿偷偷接近母章鱼，还将代表雄性的褐色斑纹隐藏起来以避免引起怀疑。
章鱼体形大小很重要，此论文的作者、加州大学伯克利分校的生物学教授罗伊·考德威尔（Roy Caldwell）说：“如果要花时间来守卫雌性，肯定希望能找到一只最大的章鱼，因为它能产更多的卵。这基本上是一种投资战略。”考德威尔表示，他相信在接近300种章鱼的种群中，这种行为是相当普遍的。
这种雄性章鱼有一种特殊的触角，能将一个精子袋注入雌性体中，然后雌性章鱼退入巢穴并产下上万枚的卵。雌章鱼产卵后不久，雌雄章鱼会双双死亡，它们的孩子只好自己照料自己了。胡法德表示这不是纵欲过度而死，而是在章鱼只有1年的短暂寿命中只能产一次卵。（来源：搜狐科学 元元）
生物谷推荐原始出处：
Marine Biotechnology Volume 154, Number 2 10.1007/s00227-008-0930-2
Mating behavior of Abdopus aculeatus (d’Orbigny 1834) (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae) in the wild
Christine L. Huffard1, 2 , Roy L. Caldwell1 and Farnis Boneka3
(1) Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-3140, USA
(2) Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, 7700 Sandholdt Road, Moss Landing, CA 95039-9644, USA
(3) Department of Fisheries and Marine Science, Universitas Sam Ratulangi, Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia
Received: 1 March 2007 Accepted: 8 February 2008 Published online: 23 February 2008
Communicated by P. Kraufvelin.
Abstract The mating system of Abdopus aculeatus incorporates sneaker matings, mate guarding, sex-specific body patterns, frequent copulations, and male–male competition for mates, making it more similar to that of aggregating decapod cephalopods than any previously known octopus social system. Large male–female A. aculeatus occupy ‘Adjacent’ (GA) dens and copulate frequently in mate-guarding situations over successive days. Nearby individuals copulate in ‘Temporary guarding’ (GT) and ‘Transient’ (T; non-guarding) situations, the latter of which can involve ‘Sneaker’ (S) mating. In a focal animal study of these octopuses in the wild (Sulawesi, Indonesia) we addressed the hypotheses that they demonstrate: (1) precopulatory mate choice, (2) differential copulation rates by individuals employing different mating tactics, and (3) distant sex identification. We quantified daily copulation rates of A. aculeatus of reproductive size as well as aspects of copulation duration, display, mate-competition, and mate rejection. Mating tactic correlated with daily copulation rates. ♂GA spent significantly more time copulating than did ♂T, while ♀GA spent more than twice as much time per day in copula than did other females. Sneaker copulations lasted longer than those by males adopting other tactics. Mate-guarding was an effective and important tactic used by males to temporarily monopolize mating with apparently non-selective females. Males demonstrated clear pre-copulatory mate choice by guarding and mating repeatedly with large females (typically ♀GA). While foraging alone away from the den, ♂G procured ‘Transient’ copulations with unguarded females. However, mate-guarding reduced the amount of time ♂G were alone and may impede their ability to seek out new mates. Low-copulation rates by ♀T, the smallest female tactic on average, may reflect this trade-off between mate preference and mate-searching by males, or non-receptivity of some females. A male-typical body pattern (black and white stripes) appeared to facilitate distant sex identification. Although mating and aggression were often initiated before contact between individuals, same-sex copulations and intense male–female aggression were rare. By contrast frequent male–female copulations and intense male–male aggression were consistent behavioral components of mating in A. aculeatus at these sites. Because the behavioral and ecological characters conducive to this complex system are not exclusive to A. aculeatus, it is possible that other octopuses exhibit some or all of these behaviors.
Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00227-008-0930-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
