Cephalopods are a large class of mollusks that includes coleoids (squid, octopus, and squid) and chambered nautiluses. Some species of such animals live alone in the almost featureless darkness of the deep oceans, while others live in groups on coral reefs. Because of this diversity, brains vary in size and complexity, as well as their behavior.
One way to measure cognitive ability in animals is to compare brain size to body size. Octopus vulgaris, the most studied species of octopus, has approximately 500 million neurons. That’s a lot for her little body. More than half of this octopus’ neurons are scattered not in the brain but in “mini-brains” in the limbs. Most of the neurons in the central brain are responsible for processing visual information, and less than a quarter of the remaining are responsible for learning and memory.
Other octopus species have similar general structures but vary in complexity. The brains of some octopus species, especially those living in reefs, are more wrinkled than those living in the sea. This suggests that these species may have b.HEgreater intelligence.
When it comes to behavior, one of the most complex forms in many cephalopods is visual camouflage. They can open and close small sacs just under the skin that contain colored pigments and reflectors that reveal specific colors.
There is also ample evidence that some octopuses and squids learn in the same way as vertebrates. For example, common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis), common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) and diurnal octopus (Octopus cyanea) can form simple associations: for example, recognizing which image on the screen predicts the appearance of food.
Some cephalopods are also capable of reverse learning. In a 2021 experiment, squids were given a choice between crab, a less desirable but immediate snack, and live shrimp, preferred after a wait. And many preferred to wait for the shrimps.
Source: Ferra
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