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Octopuses could lose eyesight and struggle to survive if ocean temperatures keep rising, study finds
(www.theguardian.com)
this post was submitted on 10 Apr 2024
149 points (98.1% liked)
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Or some of their progeny will adapt to the climate-related selection pressures.
Whether that happens in time to avoid a mass extinction event remains to be seen.
They do have a lot of them and have a 1yr reproduction cycle. That's a lot better than other marine life.
They're more likely to adapt than, say, tuna.
Doesn't mean it's a guarantee but it's better odds.
I wonder if octopi will gain shorter gestation cycles or increased number of offspring. I just learned recently that those are common adaptations for organisms with higher selection pressures (like mice and insects).
They're already very short with plentiful offspring. They have what's known as an "R-Type" reproductive strategy.
It's possible that accelerates but it's also possible that a successful adaptation has longer gestation cycles. It's not really something you can easily predict.
What? You're telling me Evolution doesn't have a goal in mind‽ /s
Nice interrobang‽
You know what's up!
Hopefully their populations have the necessary traits. Otherwise, goodbye octopi.