Henry the Hexapus

Henry the Hexapus is a six-limbed octopus found by British marine experts in 2008.Cite web|url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080303/sc_afp/sciencebritainanimalhexapusoffbeat|title=Six-legged 'hexapus' claimed as world first in Britain|date=2008-03-03|accessdate=2008-03-03] cite news |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/03/03/nhexapus103.xml |title=A hexapus, not a six-legged octopus |last=Chivers |first=Tom |work=Telegraph |date=2008-03-03 |accessdate=2008-03-03 ] His name comes from the fact that it alliterates well with "hexapus"cite news |first=Saeed |last=Ahmed |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=World's first six-legged octopus discovered |url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/03/04/octopus.uk/index.html |work=CNN |publisher= |date=2008-03-04 |accessdate=2008-03-06 ] and also from King Henry VIII, who had six wives.

Henry was found off the coast of North Wales in a lobster pot, and is in captivity at the Blackpool Sea Life Centre in North West England. Henry's unusual number of arms was not immediately noticed, and experts believe that the Hexapus came about due to a birth defect, rather than a physical accident. Developmental biologist PZ Myers calls the defect "an ordinary sort of error."Cite web|title=Hexapus!|date=2008-03-03|author=PZ Myers|url=http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2008/03/hexapus.php|accessdate=2008-03-05] After being taken from the sea, he was transferred to the Anglesey Sea Zoo, which, in turn, donated him to the Blackpool Centre.

Henry is going to be in a new exhibit with an octopus at the Blackpool Sea Life Centre, entitled "Suckers". An aquarium spokeswoman has stated that " [Henry] 's a lovely little thing."

Similar birth defects have been recorded in the past, including a 10-armed "Octopus briareus" [ [http://cephbase.utmb.edu/imgdb/imgsrch3.cfm?ID=66&PhotographerID=&CephID=510 Minor birth defect resulting in 10-armed juvenile, all arms fully present and functional.] CephBase.] and one with a forked arm tip. [ [http://cephbase.utmb.edu/imgdb/imgsrch3.cfm?ID=65&PhotographerID=&CephID=510 Minor birth defect showing bifurcated arm tip. Both tips were fully functional.] CephBase.]

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