An octopus has eight limbs, but these are technically called arms, not legs or tentacles. Each octopus has eight arms covered with suckers along their entire length, which they use for various functions including movement, feeding, and manipulating objects
. However, a study and some scientists distinguish among these eight arms by function: six of the limbs are primarily used as arms for feeding and propulsion, while two of the rear limbs function more like legs, used to crawl and push off surfaces on the sea floor. So, in this sense, an octopus can be described as having six arms and two legs
. To summarize:
- Total limbs: 8
- All are technically arms (not tentacles)
- 6 arms mainly for feeding and swimming
- 2 rear limbs used as legs for crawling
This nuanced distinction explains why people sometimes mistakenly say octopuses have eight tentacles or legs, but scientifically they have eight arms with two specialized as legs for locomotion
