Pacific Northwest tree octopus
Encyclopedia
The Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus is an internet hoax created in 1998 by Lyle Zapato. This fictitious endangered species of cephalopod
was given the Latin name "Octopus paxarbolis" (which roughly means, "Pacific tree octopus" in Latin). It was purported to be able to live both on land and in water, and was said to live in the Olympic National Forest
and nearby rivers, spawning
in water where its eggs
are laid. Its major predator was said to be the Sasquatch.
The Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus website is among a number of sites commonly used in Internet literacy
classes in schools, although it was not created for that purpose. Despite the falsehoods shown on the site, such as the inclusion of other hoax species and organizations (mixed with links to pages about real species and organizations), 24 of 25 students involved in one well-publicized test believed the content.
The tree-climbing octopus was mentioned in Terry Pratchett
's novel Nation
.
Soon other people began to make fake photos of the tree octopus by editing, or by photographing toys and stuffed animals in a similar "habitat".
Cephalopod
A cephalopod is any member of the molluscan class Cephalopoda . These exclusively marine animals are characterized by bilateral body symmetry, a prominent head, and a set of arms or tentacles modified from the primitive molluscan foot...
was given the Latin name "Octopus paxarbolis" (which roughly means, "Pacific tree octopus" in Latin). It was purported to be able to live both on land and in water, and was said to live in the Olympic National Forest
Olympic National Forest
Olympic National Forest is a U.S. National Forest located in Washington, USA. With an area of 633,677 acres , it nearly surrounds Olympic National Park and the Olympic Mountain range. Olympic National Forest contains parts of Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, and Mason counties...
and nearby rivers, spawning
Spawn (biology)
Spawn refers to the eggs and sperm released or deposited, usually into water, by aquatic animals. As a verb, spawn refers to the process of releasing the eggs and sperm, also called spawning...
in water where its eggs
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
are laid. Its major predator was said to be the Sasquatch.
The Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus website is among a number of sites commonly used in Internet literacy
Information literacy
The National Forum on Information Literacy defines information literacy as “...the ability to know when there is a need for information, to be able to identify, locate, evaluate, and effectively use that information for the issue or problem at hand.” This is the most common definition; however,...
classes in schools, although it was not created for that purpose. Despite the falsehoods shown on the site, such as the inclusion of other hoax species and organizations (mixed with links to pages about real species and organizations), 24 of 25 students involved in one well-publicized test believed the content.
The tree-climbing octopus was mentioned in Terry Pratchett
Terry Pratchett
Sir Terence David John "Terry" Pratchett, OBE is an English novelist, known for his frequently comical work in the fantasy genre. He is best known for his popular and long-running Discworld series of comic fantasy novels...
's novel Nation
Nation (novel)
Nation is a Terry Pratchett novel, published in the UK on September 11, 2008. It is the first non-Discworld Pratchett novel since Johnny and the Bomb . Nation is in an alternate history of our world in the 1860s. The book received recognition as a Michael L...
.
Soon other people began to make fake photos of the tree octopus by editing, or by photographing toys and stuffed animals in a similar "habitat".
External links
- Official site Professor Leu's teaching tool.