How octopuses find partners in the dark without seeing: The “taste by touch” science will surprise you

In the dark depths of the sea, where vision is difficult, meeting a mate becomes a problem. Octopuses, which are highly intelligent beings that generally avoid social contact, do not meet often. Consequently, it becomes harder for them to reproduce.But there has been a surprising discovery in the field of science that helps resolve this dilemma. Unlike most other creatures, octopuses make use of an extremely complex sense organ. It is through their sense of touch and taste that they are able to pick up chemical cues from their prospective partners.The mating process in octopuses does not involve vision as a means of identifying a mate. Rather, the animals employ a process which is referred to as “taste by touch,” where the limbs of octopuses identify chemicals that have been released by their possible mates.According to the research ‘A sensory system for mating in octopus’ published in the Science journal, a male octopus makes use of its specialised arm known as hectocotylus for detecting progesterone and other sex chemicals from a female. This means the two can mate without seeing each other.The male octopus has a special organ known as the hectocotylus, which is vital in its reproduction process. This organ is used in the process of transferring sperm into the female, but in addition to this, the organ is used for sensing. There are receptors in the arm which help the octopus sense the chemicals produced by the female.Experiments were carried out involving male and female octopuses being kept on either side of a barrier with openings in it.Without seeing the female octopus, the male octopus managed to find it and mate by inserting its arms into the opening.The mating took place in several instances for more than an hour.The octopus arms are extremely sophisticated and can almost operate like sensory organs. These arms have numerous receptors that help them interact with and taste their environment.Indeed, most of their nervous system resides in their arms, allowing them to respond and sense without receiving impulses directly from the brain.It is precisely for this reason that they have their distinct mating ritual.The importance of this finding is highlighted by the fact that evolution can combine different functionalities within an organ.One limb not only provides sperm but also senses chemicals, helping to make mating more effective when organisms seldom encounter one another.While the intelligence of the octopus has been well-known, this discovery brings a new dimension to biological efficiency.The combination of sensory and reproductive skills indicates that nature is capable of developing very effective systems. This is also the reason why the species can live and reproduce in conditions where visual sense is no longer applicable.