Cephalopods are a class of mollusks that includes octopuses, squids, cuttlefish, and nautiluses. Known for their distinct head and tentacles arrangement, cephalopods are highly intelligent and adaptable creatures found in both shallow and deep ocean waters around the world. They possess complex nervous systems and exhibit advanced behaviors such as problem-solving, learning, and memory. Cephalopods are also renowned for their ability to change color and texture, thanks to specialized skin cells called chromatophores, which help in camouflage and communication. These animals have a variety of feeding methods; for instance, squids often hunt in groups, while octopuses rely on their ability to solve problems and use tools to extract prey from tight spaces. Most cephalopods have a short lifespan, which has driven them to develop sophisticated behaviors and reproductive strategies to ensure survival and propagation of their species. Their unique physiological and behavioral traits continue to be subjects of active scientific research, shedding light on the evolution of intelligence and camouflage in the animal kingdom.
In the coastal waters of the Okinawa Islands, researchers have discovered two species of cephalopods, named in honor of traditional Japanese folklore. The underwater landscapes…
The skin of cephalopods (animals with tentacles attached to the head) exhibits an extraordinary capacity for camouflage in the wild. Their skin is composed of…
Cephalopods were found to have similar brain development to vertebrates in a new study. Cephalopods, which include octopuses, squid, and cuttlefish, exhibit impressive behaviors such…
Cephalopods like octopuses, squids, and cuttlefish are highly intelligent animals with complex nervous systems. A team of researchers has now shown that their evolution is…
New research indicates that a type of octopus appears to have evolved independently to develop something resembling a shell, despite having lost the genetic code…
Research suggests that European cuttlefish use a more complex strategy than previously thought to camouflage themselves within underwater surroundings. According to a new study, European…
Changes in cholesterol production lead to a tragic octopus death spiral. New research finds remarkable parallels in steroid hormone biology across cephalopods, mice, and humans…
Squid, octopus, and cuttlefish – even to scientists who study them – are wonderfully weird creatures. Known as the soft-bodied or coleoid cephalopods, they have…
While octopus and cuttlefish are famous for their use of camouflage to match the color of the substrate, a third type of cephalopod—the squid—has never…
Description of exceptionally preserved fossil pushes back age of Vampyropoda by nearly 82 million years. New research led by scientists at the American Museum of…
Hail to the squid — A vampyropod fit for a president Researchers at Yale and the American Museum of Natural History have identified the earliest…
For generations, scientists have relied on a handful of organisms to study the fundamentals of biology. The usual suspects—fruit flies, zebrafish, and mice, among others—all…
Cuttlefish can remember what, where, and when specific events happened – right up to their last few days of life, researchers have found. The results,…
A new study, using high-speed photography, shows that squids can save energy by flying rather than swimming. Some species of Cephalopoda can launch themselves into…