I just saw a show on the Discovery channel on octopi. They showed that
wild octopi are freindly and even gregarious with divers. Squid, however
are rather predatory and only see a diver as another meal to drag down
to the depths. Octopi apparently need to keep their brains segmented so
they can squeeze through tight spots. I think that this is probably the
major stumbling block to their natural evolution toward greater
intelligence. While their coral habitat enabled them to develop
excellent spatial problem solving skills, their need to squeeze through
spaces is an environmental limitation on further brain integration.
Anyone developing greater intelligence in octopi would need to teach
them tool using strategies for fishing to overcome the expected mobility
reduction a larger more integrated brain would entail. Possibly weaving
nets with seaweed. squeezing a big brain through a small space would
probably cause as much brain damage as a heavy weight boxing match.
-- TANSTAAFL!!! Michael Lorrey ------------------------------------------------------------ mailto:retroman@together.net Inventor of the Lorrey Drive MikeySoft: Graphic Design/Animation/Publishing/Engineering ------------------------------------------------------------ How many fnords did you see before breakfast today?