The Lesser Octopus is also known as the ‘curled octopus’ because it curls up its tentacles when it rests. It is a ‘cephalopod’ which is a fast swimming mollusc that has suckered tentacle-like arms attached to its head, just like the Common Cuttlefish and the Common Squid. It can sometimes be found along the rocky shores of England, but it is very rarely seen because it spends most of its life hiding in holes and crevices under the sea, especially in the day.

The Lesser Octopus is about fifty centimetres long and has a reddish coloured body covered in tiny wart-like bumps. It has eight powerful tentacle-like arms with one row of sucker pads on each arm which are used for catching prey and for crawling on surfaces. Its head is large and bulbous with two large eyes. It also has an almost beak-shaped jaw. This sea creature can see nearly as well as a human being can see.

The Lesser Octopus can release a sort of ink-type dark fluid from its body when it feels threatened. The inky fluid makes the water dark which confuses and disorientates any predator allowing the octopus to escape from danger.