ScienceAugust 23, 2026
cephalopod
SEF-uh-lah-pod
Definition
A marine mollusc characterized by tentacles and a complex nervous system, such as an octopus, squid, or cuttlefish.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek words kephale meaning 'head' and pous meaning 'foot', reflecting the anatomy where tentacles are attached directly to the head.
In the news
The word is used to clarify that the findings about the common octopus's circulatory system cannot be generalized to all cephalopods, as species like squid have different body structures.
An octopus has three hearts, but during jet-propelled swimming its main systemic heart can briefly stop—the pressure inside its mantle prevents enough blood from returning to the hearts. That helps explain why bottom-dwelling octopuses usually crawl and re
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