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{{Classification
|name = Octopus
|image = Squidward-in-Underwater-Friends.png
|caption = Squidward with his real-life counterpart, as seen in ''[[Underwater Friends]]''.
|kingdom = Animal
|phylum = Mollusca
|class = Cephalopoda
|order = Octopoda
|first appearance = "[[Help Wanted]]"
|portrayers = [[Rodger Bumpass]] ([[Squidward Tentacles]])
}}
The '''octopus''' (plural, '''octopuses''') is a type of cephalopod. It has a bulbous head, slit-shaped pupils, and eight limbs covered with circle-shaped suckers.

{{SBSP}} features an octopus, {{Link|Squidward}}, as one of the main characters. Squidward has the distinct bulbous head that octopuses are known for. He is usually only drawn with six visible limbs, as having eight was too difficult for animation and made him look burdened. However, he is seen with a full set of eight in brief segments of "[[Pressure]]" and "[[Sold!]]"

The octopus is closely related to the squid, which (unlike Squidward) has a ''cone-shaped'' head with fins on each side, and has ''ten'' limbs. The character was named "Squidward" instead of "Octoward" because the second name "just didn't work," according to [[Rodger Bumpass]].

==Characters==
Octopus characters that have appeared in the series include but are not limited to:
*Octopus children
*[[Octopus sailor]]
*[[Squid guard 1]]
*[[Squid guard 2]]
*[[Mrs. Tentacles]]
*[[Jeff Tentacles]]
*[[Squidette]]
*[[Squidward Tentacles]]
*[[Squilliam Fancyson]]
*[[Squidly Tentacles]]
*[[Mom octopus]]
*[[Octopus quintuplets]]
*[[Squog]]
*[[Roger (octopus)|Roger]]
*[[Leader]]
*[[Cephalopod Lodge members]]
*Squidward's ex-girlfriend
*[[Squilvia]]
*[[Café stand owner]]
*[[Hopalong Squidward Tentacles]]
*[[Squidward's teenage cousin]]
*[[Granny Tentacles]]
*[[Kelpy G]]
*[[Octopus vendor]]
*[[Sir Cecil]]
*[[Lab Squidward]]
*New Squidward
*[[Mel]]
*[[Fishmael Tentacles]]
*[[Claire St. Claire]]
*[[SquidHarp]]
==Description==
===Shape===
In the show, octopuses are most often drawn with six appendages rather than the usual eight present in an octopus. They are depicted as having slit-shaped eyes and a rounded head with a big nose.<ref name="episodes">[[Squidward Tentacles/appearances]]</ref> They are usually colored shades of blue and green.

==Families==
===[[Tentacles family|Squidward's family]]===
Squidward has a long family history linked to royalty, dating back to prehistoric times.<ref>[[Tentacles family]]</ref> The first known relative of Tentacles family was [[Squog]], who was friends with SquarePants and Star family members, [[SpongeGar]] and [[Patar]].
Several generations later, there was a medieval ancestor named [[Squidly]], who was a royal jester of [[King Krabs]], an ancestor of Krabs family.
Shortly after, there was a western relative named [[Hopalong Squidward Tentacles|Hopalong]], who was a bartender at the [[Krusty Kantina]].
Four generations later, an unknown octopus known as "Grandpa Tentacles" was born. He married a female octopus now known as [[Granny Tentacles]] and had a son with her, who they named [[Jeff Tentacles|Jeff]]. Jeff later married [[Mrs. Tentacles]] and had one child with her, who they named Squidward.
Squidward has two cousins: [[Squidmund]], who is very cheerful and nice, and [[Squidward's teenage cousin|an unnamed cousin]], who seems not to care about things, just like Squidward.
As stated in ''[[The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water]]'', there is another prehistoric relative, [[Squidasaurus Rex]], half-dinosaur half-octopus, who is distantly related to Squidward.

==Habitats==
As far as what is shown in the show, octopuses appear to live in Easter Island Heads. Squidward, one of the main characters of the show, lives in an [[Squidward Tentacles' house|Easter Island Head]], which sits between a [[SpongeBob SquarePants' house|pineapple house]] and a [[Patrick Star's house|rock house]].<ref name="episodes" />

==Behavior==
Octopuses on the show tend to act like Squidward does. However, Squidward ultimately decided he did not enjoy living with them.

==Trivia==
*Squidward and other octopuses have 6 arms as it was easier to draw and animate.
*In real life, octopuses are one of the primary predators of crabs. This is fitting since Squidward seems to dislike {{Link|Mr. Krabs}}, mostly for his greedy nature.

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Ceph}}
[[zh:章鱼]]
[[Category:Octopuses]]
[[Category:Monsters]]
[[Category:Sea monsters]]