The notoriously anti-social octopus acts like humans after taking the drug MDMA, scientists have discovered prompting suggestions of an evolutionary link between the two species.

Researchers studied the genome of a kind of octopus not known for its friendliness toward its peers, then tested its behavioural reaction to a popular mood-altering drug also known as ecstasy.

An experiment used three connected water chambers: one empty, one with a plastic action figure under a cage and one with a female or male laboratory-bred octopus under a cage.

Four male and female octopuses were exposed to MDMA by putting them into a beaker containing a liquefied version of the drug, which is absorbed by the octopuses through their gills.

Then they were placed in the experimental chambers for 30 minutes.