This isn’t quite true, is it? A mutation that killed 5 years after childbirth would result in higher mortality rates for the child.
replyOctopus have extremely high mortality rates and extremely large litters, so there’s that
replyThey don’t raise their offspring
Though FWIW, they do protect their eggs quite well.
replyIsn't this tied to the senesce? Where their digestive tract has closed and they starve to death at the nest
replyIndeed, AFAIK. I've never seen an explanation for this. Most things that reproduce successfully want to do it again - or at least their DNA does. Perhaps octopuses are simply disappointed by the experience.
replyAh yeah, I was thinking humans
reply