Despite his name containing the word "squid" and him having six legs instead of eight, Squidward is an octopus according to the series creator. This is because series animators believe if he had 8 tentacles, he'll be too difficult to animate, and it was simpler for animation to draw him with six legs instead of eight. His species is still an octopus, however, and he has purple suction cups at the end of his six tentacles.