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How do cephalopod suckers help capture prey?

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A blue-ringed octopus with bright blue rings on its beige body crawls over a rocky, coral-strewn seabed. — cephalopod Blue-ringed octopus (genus *Hapalochlaena*).

Cephalopod suckers are specialized structures located on the arms and tentacles that provide significant holding power, which is essential for capturing and manipulating prey.12

In octopuses, the arms are equipped with fleshy suckers that allow the animal to grasp and hold onto prey, such as crabs and other crustaceans. For squids and cuttlefishes, these suckers are often more complex; they are frequently horny and ringed, and they may be armed with teeth or hooks to further secure a firm grip on their target.213

Beyond their role in physical capture, cephalopods demonstrate considerable skill in hunting by stalking prey or using their arms to lure small fishes within reach. Once prey is captured, the cephalopod uses its arms and suckers to bring the food toward its mouth, where a pair of sharp beaks and a filelike radula are used to process the meal.412