Pronk R, Wilson DR, Harcourt R.
Coleoid cephalopods, including octopuses, cuttlefish and squid, rely mainly on visual signals when interacting with conspecifics, predators and prey. Presenting visual stimuli, such as models, photographs, mirrors and live conspecifics, can thus provide insight into cephalopod behaviour. These methods, however, have limitations - mirrors and live animals lack experimental control, whereas models and photographs sacrifice motion-based information. Video playback addresses these issues by presenting controlled, moving and realistic stimuli but, to date, video playback has not been used successfully with any cephalopod. Here, we developed a video playback technique for the gloomy octopus (Octopus tetricus) that incorporated recent advances in video technology. We then used this technique to test for personality, which we defined as behavioural differences between individuals that are consistent over time and across ecologically important contexts. We captured wild octopuses and tested them on 3 separate days over a 10 day period. On each test day, subjects were presented with videos of a food item, a novel object and a conspecific. These represented a foraging, novel and threatening context, respectively. A fourth video without a moving stimulus controlled for the playback monitor itself and potential artifacts associated with video playback. Experimental stimuli evoked unambiguous and biologically appropriate responses from the subjects. Furthermore, individuals' responses to the three experimental contexts were highly correlated within a given test day. However, within a given context, individuals behaved inconsistently across the 3 test days. The reordering of ranks suggests that rather than fulfilling the criteria for personality, gloomy octopus show temporal discontinuities, and hence display episodic personality.
J Exp Biol. 2010 Apr;213(Pt 7):1035-41.
Coleoid cephalopods, including octopuses, cuttlefish and squid, rely mainly on visual signals when interacting with conspecifics, predators and prey. Presenting visual stimuli, such as models, photographs, mirrors and live conspecifics, can thus provide insight into cephalopod behaviour. These methods, however, have limitations - mirrors and live animals lack experimental control, whereas models and photographs sacrifice motion-based information. Video playback addresses these issues by presenting controlled, moving and realistic stimuli but, to date, video playback has not been used successfully with any cephalopod. Here, we developed a video playback technique for the gloomy octopus (Octopus tetricus) that incorporated recent advances in video technology. We then used this technique to test for personality, which we defined as behavioural differences between individuals that are consistent over time and across ecologically important contexts. We captured wild octopuses and tested them on 3 separate days over a 10 day period. On each test day, subjects were presented with videos of a food item, a novel object and a conspecific. These represented a foraging, novel and threatening context, respectively. A fourth video without a moving stimulus controlled for the playback monitor itself and potential artifacts associated with video playback. Experimental stimuli evoked unambiguous and biologically appropriate responses from the subjects. Furthermore, individuals' responses to the three experimental contexts were highly correlated within a given test day. However, within a given context, individuals behaved inconsistently across the 3 test days. The reordering of ranks suggests that rather than fulfilling the criteria for personality, gloomy octopus show temporal discontinuities, and hence display episodic personality.
J Exp Biol. 2010 Apr;213(Pt 7):1035-41.
Why is this cool?
Ever since I saw THE FUTURE IS WILD, I have been obsessed with helping our future overlords get a leg up on up humans. I sometimes pour known mutagens into the ocean or I leave tools on the beach. Sadly, my efforts have gone unnoticed and I feel like Appollyon.
From the abstract, they tell us that they tested 3 octopi (is that the correct plural form?) for behavioral responses that would suggest personality. Personality being "behavioural differences between individuals that are consistent over time and across ecologically important contexts." What they found was that the octopi had episodic behavior. I took a quick look at the paper and episodic personality is when the octopus does not display consistent behavior to the supplied response. I really want to read the paper, but on first pass I see a lot.
They showed the octopus a TV with some stuff and over three days time the response from each octopus differed. They called this episodic behavior, but maybe the octopus just figured out that the stimulus was simulated. Maybe, more amazingly, the octopus has a truly different personality structure!! Humans have distinct individual personalities and those personalities persist through the different experiences. What if the octopus personality is one where they are constantly in flux and can never be consistent? Imagine a personality that is genetically programmed to explore personality space all the time!! EPIC CRAZINESS!!
Human exploration of personality space is best seen through the filmography of NICOLAS CAGE!! Seriously, can he more fully capture the human condition? His emotions and actions are writ large across my genome! I think the last movie he makes will be a year long and will be him staring into a camera as he dies in front of us!
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| I need to re-read this, because I didn't even notice that this is might be FANTOMEX!!! |
They showed the octopus a TV with some stuff and over three days time the response from each octopus differed. They called this episodic behavior, but maybe the octopus just figured out that the stimulus was simulated. Maybe, more amazingly, the octopus has a truly different personality structure!! Humans have distinct individual personalities and those personalities persist through the different experiences. What if the octopus personality is one where they are constantly in flux and can never be consistent? Imagine a personality that is genetically programmed to explore personality space all the time!! EPIC CRAZINESS!!
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