A new study has revealed that octopuses are basically aliens. Research on their individual DNA make-up discovered that they are unlike any other creature on Earth.
The genome of the cephalopod mollusc shows a striking level of complexity with 33,000 protein-coding genes identified, which is considerably more than humans.
These revelations further highlight the oddities of the eight-legged tentacled creatures.
As you have always suspected, octopuses could be aliens
Dr Clifton Ragsdale, an associate professor in neurobiology and organismal biology and anatomy at the University of Chicago said: “The octopus genome makes studies of cephalopod traits much more tractable, and now represents an important point on the tree of life for comparative evolutionary studies.
"In this sense, then, our paper describes the first sequenced genome from an alien."
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According to one source, the octopus diverged over 270 million years ago, when our ancestors were fish.
The 'alien' creatures have a number of strange features including prehensile sucker-lined tentacles, highly mobile, camera-like eyes which are sensitive to polarised light, sophisticated camouflage systems that alter skin colour and patterns, and the ability to regenerate severed limbs.