Zeitschrift für Meeresbiologie und Ozeanographie

Coleoid Cephalopod Arms and Tentacles Musculature

Adina William

Arm and tentacle regeneration in coleoid cephalopods is a common occurrence that has been documented since Aristotle. These appendages are of tremendous interest for regeneration research due to the complexity of their muscle and connective tissue arrangements. They have no hard skeletal parts and are made up of a three-dimensional array of muscle fibres, relying on a muscular hydrostat for support. Muscle tissue resists volume change, thus support and movement in the arms and tentacles are dependent on it.