Octopuses have mastered the art of "multispecies hunting" by cooperating

Hunting in the mysterious depths of the Red Sea takes on an unexpected twist, as biologist Eduardo Sampaio and his team gear up for another day of exploration.

Their mission? To uncover the elusive hunting habits of the octopus — an enigmatic creature typically known for its solitary nature. Yet, here it plays a vital role in orchestrating multispecies cooperation.

The underwater hunt begins

As the team dives beneath the surface, their underwater cameras stand poised to capture the unfolding spectacle.

Scanning the water with eager eyes, they search for a glimpse of their elusive subject. When they finally spot an octopus, the team begins recording and stations additional cameras to collect data.

After months of painstaking research and over 100 hours of film from dives across Israel, Egypt, and Australia, Sampaio is more than pleased with the results.

Sampaio is a postdoctoral researcher based at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior and the Cluster of Excellence Collective Behaviour at the University of Konstanz.

“The two camera perspectives have enabled us to create a 3D view of the scene,” he noted, providing novel insights into the fascinating world of multispecies hunting.

The subtle art of multispecies hunting

Through innovative 3D field-based tracking and field experiments, Sampaio discovered that groups involving Octopus cyanea and various fish species exhibit structured social dynamics, with distinct roles for each species.

“In groups of Octopus cyanea and various fish species, social influence is not evenly distributed but rather hierarchically structured across multiple dimensions, reflecting specialized roles within the group,” explained Sampaio.

This research unveils how fish, particularly goatfish, act as explorers, directing the group’s movements, while the octopus dictates the timing and initiation of group activities.

A symbiotic hunting relationship

The findings shed light on a unique form of ecological synergy, where fish serve as an extended sensorial system for the octopus, enhancing prey detection over a larger area.

“This beneficial interaction enables fish to acquire otherwise unreachable prey, and octopuses to conserve energy by focusing on high-quality food sources,” said Sampaio, emphasizing the sophisticated dynamics of marine life collaboration.

By covering larger areas and providing feedback within the group, the octopus and fish create a beneficial hunting system, further showcasing the complexity of their relationship.

Leadership dynamics underwater

Leadership in animal groups, whether among fish, birds, or primates, is usually associated with guiding the group forward.

However, Sampaio’s study shows that leadership can emerge from both the stimulation and inhibition of movement.

In this case, the octopus plays the primary role of influencer, controlling the group’s movement by inhibiting it when necessary.

The team’s research reveals that the composition of the group greatly impacts individual investment and collective action.

Exploitative behaviors from certain group members prompt a response from the octopus, which enforces partner control by physically “punching” the exploiters, thereby reinforcing its role as the de facto leader.

Survival of the fittest underwater

In practical terms, this leadership dynamic means that when the octopus catches prey, it kills it outright. “One item of prey is not divided; it is taken by whoever catches it first,” explained Sampaio.

However, since the interaction between fish and octopus repeats several times during the hunt, prey is effectively shared, as sometimes the octopus catches the prey and sometimes it is the fish that secure the meal.

This back-and-forth interaction showcases the adaptive and cooperative nature of multispecies hunting in the underwater world.

Insights into octopus intelligence

The research highlights the remarkable social competence and cognitive flexibility of the otherwise solitary Octopus cyanea.

According to Sampaio, the findings broaden our understanding of leadership and sociality, emphasizing the complexity and adaptability of social interactions in nature.

The research has unveiled the sophisticated and often overlooked collaboration among marine species.

Precision of multispecies hunting

What makes the octopus and its hunting partners so successful is not just their cooperation, but the precise and tactical nature of their hunts.

Octopuses, known for their intelligence, display an extraordinary ability to plan and coordinate attacks with the fish in their group. By using their highly flexible limbs and ability to camouflage, the octopus can surprise prey, while the fish act as scouts, sweeping through the environment to locate potential targets.

The octopus carefully positions itself based on the fish’s exploration, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. This method of shared responsibility ensures that the group covers a much larger area than a solitary hunter ever could, maximizing their chances of success.

The hunting party relies on a balance between the octopus’s ambush tactics and the sensory capabilities of the fish, creating a finely tuned and efficient predatory system.

Cognitive flexibility for cooperative hunting

The octopus’s ability to adapt its strategy based on the behavior of its hunting partners further demonstrates its cognitive flexibility.

For instance, when goatfish signal the presence of prey, the octopus quickly moves into position, leveraging its ability to move silently and strike with precision.

These finely tuned interactions highlight the octopus’s role as both a tactician and a cooperative hunter, revealing a deeper level of intelligence than typically attributed to marine life.

The study is published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution.

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