Until now, knowing the age of a common octopus ( Octopus vulgaris ) was an impossible task. Chilean and Spanish researchers have managed to find out by analyzing a small cartilaginous structure of about five centimeters, called a stylet , that they hide in their head.
In a series of experiments with specimens captured in waters of Galicia and the Mediterranean, biologists verified that the stylet, a vestige of a primitive shell, accumulates a layer of tissue for each day of life , similar to the rings that are formed in the trunks of the trees.
Knowing the age of the octopuses will allow us to know "with how old they mature and at what age they are being exploited to ensure that the next generation is guaranteed," explained Francisco Rocha, from the Vigo Marine Research Institute (IIM). In addition, this technique will help to clarify the longevity of the octopuses . "Traditionally, they were said to die after reproducing, but females survive for a time to care for their spawn until the larvae hatch," says Rocha. And it is believed that some specimen could stay alive and live with the next generation. ? One of the ways to prove this is to determine your age ?, the researcher points out.
