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Qualia

Muscles behind the iridescent display of blue-ringed octopus

November 2, 2012 | Author:AAAS member -- Freelance Writer Mary Bates, Ph.D.
blue ring octopus

The tiny but highly venomous blue-ringed octopus has a novel way to flash its conspicuous warning signal. The octopus uses two sets of muscles to hide and reveal its iridescent blue rings. It is the first reported animal to use this mechanism.