A male blue-lined octopus often becomes their partner's meal after mating but the University of Queensland's Fabio Cortesi tells NPR's Ayesha Rascoe some males have found a way to survive.

Before mating, male blue-lined octopuses poison female octopuses to avoid being eaten. Wen-Sung Chung/University of Queensland But now, research reveals, males have evolved to use a venom called ...

Male blue-lined octopi (Hapalochlaena fasciata) have been found to use venom on their sexual partners, as well as for the usual reasons of defense against predators and subduing prey.

Male blue-lined octopuses have larger glands to hold venom and use some of it to subdue females for mating to stop from being eaten, killed.

Male blue-lined octopuses inject a powerful neurotoxin into the hearts of females before mating to avoid being eaten, according to a new study.