Octopus and Squid
Octopus and squid are animals that are not easily found in
the sea. That means that these creatures were not hunted for raw
materials like the whales were, but they do
contain some natural polymers.Octopus and Squid are from the same group of organisms as clams, and snails. They have a shell, even though it cannot be seen. The shells that they have contain chitin just like the shells of crustaceans, although chitin is still far more abundant in crabs.
Chitin looks like this:
Crustaceans, such as crabs and lobsters, are the primary diet of the
octopus. Squid have more of a tendency to stick to more immediate family
members such as clams, snails, and sometimes octopus. Gives a whole new sense to
the phrase "Keeping it in the family".Cartilage, which is also found in squid and octopus, is a type of protein which is a natural polymer.
Protein looks like this:
Octopi live around caves, which are made of stone (not a polymer) and some smaller species can be found among coral reefs. Squid are mainly in the deeper parts of the ocean, and are very rarely seen. Sometimes they can be found in the bellies of sperm whales, which quite honestly, is a place that I would not want to be looking for them.
Return to the Polyquarium