In 2021, researchers in Spain documented a remarkable case of adaptation in a male Octopus vulgaris. Using an underwater camera, they tracked an individual with three intact arms on its left side, while the others were substantially shortened, appearing as if bitten off. The team noticed that one arm, the front right (R1), was regenerating in an atypical manner, splitting into two distinct limbs and resulting in a total of nine arms.

According to Sam soule, a researcher involved in the study published in Animals, the unusual condition likely stemmed from a genetic mutation during regeneration following a predator encounter. The team dubbed the nine-armed cephalopod “Salvador,” inspired by the resemblance of its bifurcated arm to the upturned ends of Salvador Dali’s moustache.

Over two years, the scientists monitored Salvador’s behavior and discovered that it favored using its bifurcated arm less frequently during perhaps risky activities, such as exploring or seizing food. These actions would require extending the arm, increasing the risk of further injury.

Jorge hernández Urcera,a lead author,notes,”One of the conclusions of our research is that the octopus likely retains a long-term memory of the original injury,as it tends to use the bifurcated arms for less risky tasks compared to the others.” He added, “This idea of lasting memory brought to mind Dalí’s famous painting The Persistence of Memorywhich ultimately became the title of the paper we published on monitoring this particular octopus.”

Despite the octopus exhibiting protective behavior towards its additional limb, its nervous system successfully adapted to incorporate the extra appendage. After a period of recovery, Salvador was observed utilizing its ninth arm to explore its surroundings.

Pelled stated, “That nine-armed octopus is a perfect example of just how adaptable these animals are. Most animals would struggle with an unusual body part, but not the octopus. In this case, the octopus had a bifurcated (split) arm and still used it effectively, just like any other arm. that tells us the nervous system didn’t treat it as a mistake-it figured out how to make it work.”

“That nine-armed octopus is a perfect example of just how adaptable these animals are,”