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Phoenix666 [soylentnews.org] writes:

The creature, known as the larger Pacific striped octopus [sciencedaily.com], also turns out to be among the most gregarious of known octopuses. While most species are solitary, these have been seen in groups of up to 40 off the Pacific coasts of Nicaragua and Panama.

And while male octopuses typically share sperm with females at arm's length, ready to flee should the female get aggressive or hungry, mating pairs of this octopus when observed in captivity sometimes cohabit in the same cavity for at least a few days while mating, with little indication of escalated aggression. Mating pairs have even been observed to share meals in an unusual beak-to-beak position.

They do engage in rough sex, however. The pair grasp each other's arms sucker-to-sucker and mate beak-to-beak, as if kissing. The females mate frequently and lay eggs over several months, whereas the females of most known octopuses die after a single brood.

Octopuses are fascinating creatures that can even walk on land [youtube.com]. Some studies have also suggested they're quite intelligent [pbs.org].

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