Cephalopod

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/cephalopod

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Cephalopoda
2. What are cephalopods and which animals are in this group?Cephalopods are squishy sea animals that have a head and a foot that looks like arms or tentacles. They include squids, octopuses, and cuttlefish, and they have very smart brains.
3. Why do cephalopods have ink and how does it help them?Cephalopods squirt ink to hide from predators. The ink can make a cloud that looks like the animal or can irritate or blind attackers.

Malacology: The scientific study of mollusks, a diverse group of invertebrates.
Teuthology: A specialized branch of malacology focused specifically on the study of cephalopods.
Chromatophores: Pigment-containing and light-reflecting cells in the skin of cephalopods that allow for rapid color change.
Hemocyanin: A copper-containing protein found in the blood of some invertebrates, including cephalopods, which transports oxygen and gives their blood a blue color.