To be glad I'm not an octopus?

[AllMimsyWereTheBorogoves]

Terribly poignant story of maternal love, octopus-style, here. The gist is that some scientists observed an octopus clinging onto a rock deep down in the ocean to protect her 150 developing babies for 53 months solidly and almost certainly didn't eat in that time. (The very thought is giving me the horrors.) They think she would have died shortly after they finally dispersed. Standard behaviour for octopuses, apparently. Puts my three solid years of broken nights in perspective!

Oh blood I needed that laugh!

Titsalinabumsquash Some people actually have octopus related fetishes. Its called tentacle erotica.

Yes. Really.

Oh...

Well that's just not right.

Octopoda, I think.

Ever done of those little jobs like tying up a parcel where you wish you had three hands?

Ahem. The Oxford English Dictionary says:

The standard plural in English of octopus is octopuses. However, the word octopus comes from Greek and the Greek plural form octopodes is still occasionally used. The plural form octopi, formed according to rules for some Latin plurals, is incorrect.

www.darwineatscake.com/img/comic/113.png

All you need to know about pluralising Octopus....

I watched a documentary some years back about this and she starved herself to death whilst brooding her babies. I was in tears by the end of it

The plural of the Greek word POUS, a foot, is PODA, feet, and I stand by octopoda.

It isn't, Andrew, I'm afraid. The plural of pous is podes.

This is an absolutely exhaustive analysis of all the possible English plurals for octopus. Personally, I'm sticking with octopuses. It's an English word now, and it is just pedantry to try to second guess what the Romans and Ancient Greeks would have used if they had had the word octopus, which this link says they didn't.

Livid, I would have been very upset to see that too.