Octopus (Books)

The Octopus is an invertebrate marine animal mentioned briefly in the How to Train Your Dragon Book series.

Description
Octopuses (Order Octopoda) are soft-bodied molluscs, in a Phylum that is known for its hard-shelled species. The lack of a shell allows these creatures to fit through the tiniest openings and small crevices. They are widely known for their 'head' region and eight suction-cupped arms.

Octopuses are also known to be rather intelligent for invertebrates, though their intelligence is, as yet, poorly understood. They have shown the capacity for problem-solving, and long and short term memory. One species of octopus uses Coconut shells to build shelter, which is considered tool use.

Function
Octopuses are used for description in the Book series.

In real life, they are eaten by many cultures world wide, even eaten alive. They are also frequently seen in public aquariums.

How to Train Your Dragon
Octopuses are mentioned in Book 1, being used to describe the behavior of Sea Dragons.

"A real Sea Dragon is a cruel, careless mystery like the mighty ocean itself, one moment as calm as a scallop, the next raging like an octopus."

- Old Wrinkly