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How many arms and tentacles do octopuses, squids, and cuttlefishes have?
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cephalopod
Blue-ringed octopus (genus Hapalochlaena).
The number of arms and tentacles varies among these cephalopods:
- Octopuses: These animals have eight arms, which are prehensile appendages provided with suckers along their length.12
- Squids: These cephalopods possess eight arms and two longer, slender tentacles. The tentacles are typically distinguished by having suckers only at their expanded ends.132
- Cuttlefishes: Similar to squids, cuttlefishes have eight arms and two longer tentacles used for capturing prey. These tentacles can be withdrawn into specialized pouches.4
While the terms are often used interchangeably, "arms" generally refer to appendages with suckers along their length, whereas "tentacles" have suckers primarily at the ends or lack them entirely.2