zpostcode
Do Octopuses Have Ink?
Oct 27, 2025 10:43 PM

  

Do Octopuses Have Ink?1

  Small but deadly Blue-ringed octopus (genus Hapalochlaena) (more) Do Octopuses Have Ink? Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/science/Do-Octopuses-Have-Ink Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

  External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Written by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Sep 2, 2025 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot Yes, most octopuses possess an ink sac located near the anus that produces a dark fluid, which is forcibly ejected through a funnel organ. The fluid, or the ink, also contains mucus, most of which is likely produced from a gland in the funnel organ. The ink is dark because it has melanin, the same pigment that gives human hair and skin their color. The presence of melanin in the ink highlights the complex biochemical processes that occur within the octopus’s body. The ink sac is part of an octopus’s defense mechanism. When an octopus feels threatened, it ejects the ...(100 of 196 words)

  Unlock the full article Access our trusted destination for facts and information 7-Day Free Trial, No Ads, Unlimited Access, Exclusive Content Subscribe Today

Comments
Welcome to zpostcode comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Recommend >
20 Buildings Not to Miss in Australia
      From the Rose Seidler House and Mooloomba House to the Sydney Opera House, these 20 buildings are examples of some of Australia’s most architecturally and historically important structures.   Earlier versions of the descriptions of these buildings first appeared in 1001 Buildings You Must See Before You Die, edited by Mark Irving (2016). Writers’ names appear in...
19 Significant Buildings Worth Seeing in Denmark
      Denmark spreads over a peninsula and an archipelago of more than 400 islands. Its architectural landscape is just as varied as the land it occupies.   Earlier versions of the descriptions of these buildings first appeared in 1001 Buildings You Must See Before You Die, edited by Mark Irving (2016). Writers’ names appear in parentheses.   Høpfner A/S...
12 Revolutionary Buildings to Visit in Vienna
      Vienna has been the capital of the Holy Roman Empire and the empire known as Austria-Hungary. After World War II, it was occupied by multiple countries’ forces. History courses through its streets, as evidenced by these 12 buildings, but revolution does too. Each of these buildings performs its own type of rebellion.   Earlier versions of the descriptions...
14 Buildings That Lay Bare Scotland’s Soul
      “I am a Scotsman,” Sir Walter Scott once wrote; “therefore I had to fight my way into the world.” This list explains how these 14 buildings fought their way onto Scottish soil.   Earlier versions of the descriptions of these buildings first appeared in 1001 Buildings You Must See Before You Die, edited by Mark Irving (2016). Writers’ names...
Information Recommendation
19 Essential Italian Churches
  Italy’s rich architectural heritage includes thousands of churches built across two millennia. Here are 19 of the most notable ones.   Earlier versions of the descriptions of these churches first appeared in 1001 Amazing Places You Must See Before You Die, edited by Richard Cavendish (2016). Writers’ names appear in parentheses.   Basilica of San Vitale      basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna,...
13 Buildings You Should Visit When You’re in Tokyo
     topimages/Shutterstock,com Tokyo was once known as Edo, which began as a fishing village many centuries ago. Edo became Tokyo (”Eastern Capital”) in the 19th century, when it became Japan’s capital. This list highlights just a few of the many significant buildings in Tokyo.   Earlier versions of the descriptions of these buildings first appeared in 1001 Buildings You Must See...
19 Historic Buildings to Visit in Rome
      The term historic may be understated for a city that can trace its origins, as a continuous settlement, to the first millennium BCE. Nearly everything about Rome might be considered historic. This list merely skims the surface of the buildings worth seeing in Italy’s national capital.   Earlier versions of the descriptions of these buildings first appeared in...
21 Tombs Around the World
     A tomb, according to Britannica’s entry, is “a home or house for the dead.” Here are 21 tombs (or sites of many individual tombs) from around the world that show the varied ways that different cultures at different times have housed and honored their dead.   Earlier versions of the descriptions of these tombs first appeared in 1001 Amazing...
13 Buildings That Tell Berlin’s Story
      The history of Berlin is a long one, filled with triumphs and tragedies. These 13 buildings span centuries and capture, in microcosm, the city’s unique progression through time and arrival in the present.   Earlier versions of the descriptions of these buildings first appeared in 1001 Buildings You Must See Before You Die, edited by Mark Irving (2016)....
19 Places That Exemplify Cool Swiss Style
      Earlier versions of the descriptions of these buildings first appeared in 1001 Buildings You Must See Before You Die, edited by Mark Irving (2016). Writers’ names appear in parentheses.   Valerio Olgiati’s redesign of a 19th-century building in Flims constitutes a radical transformation of its character. Placed directly by the curving roadside, the Yellow House enjoys...
25 Must
      China’s recorded history stretches back more than 4,000 years. These 25 buildings merely scratch the surface of the country’s rich architectural heritage.   Earlier versions of the descriptions of these buildings first appeared in 1001 Buildings You Must See Before You Die, edited by Mark Irving (2016). Writers’ names appear in parentheses.   Labrang Tashi Kyil MonasteryLocated on...
20 Must
     Walter Hochauer In the early 1990s, an intact mummy was discovered in the Ötztal Alps, on the Italian-Austrian border, that proved to be more than 5,000 years old. What is known today as Austria has been populated for a very long time; the buildings here are just a blip on the region’s history, but they’re all worth seeing when...