Cephalopods Flashcards
What term does the author use to describe cephalopods in contrast to other invertebrate animals? ‘An i…. of m….. c……… in the sea of i……….. a…… .’
The author describes cephalopods as “an island of mental complexity in the sea of invertebrate animals.”
What is the significance of cephalopods being “an independent experiment in the evolution of large brains and complex behavior”?
When did human beings diverge from octopi in the evolutionary scale?
Cephalopods have evolved separately from other animals, taking a different path in the evolution of large brains and complex behavior. This uniqueness makes them a fascinating case study for understanding the minds of animals, including our own.
500,000,000 years ago - therefore, representing a fascinating example of convergent evolution (converging on intelligence)
According to the article, what sets cephalopods apart from cetaceans (whales and dolphins) regarding their sentience?
Unlike cetaceans, which share mammalian connections with humans, cephalopods are entirely unlike us. Their sentience does not arise from shared history or kinship, but rather because evolution independently built minds twice over, making them “the closest we will come to meeting an intelligent alien.”
How does the octopus’s brain differ from that of a vertebrate in terms of the arrangement of neurons? How many brains? Number of neurons?
An octopus’s brain has 500 million neurons, comparable to the intelligence of dogs and even a three-year-old child. However, unlike vertebrates, an octopus’s neurons are distributed throughout its entire body, including its arms.
It therefore has 9 brains.
This allows them to act as “agents of their own” and sense by taste as much as touch, living outside the usual body/brain divide.
500 million - half a billion - is an important octopus number - divergence from humans in evolution and neurons
In what ways have octopuses demonstrated their intelligence in laboratory experiments?
In laboratory experiments, octopuses have shown the ability to negotiate mazes and unscrew jars containing food, using visual cues to achieve their goals. They also exhibit craftiness, such as squirting water at researchers they don’t like and engaging in covert behavior like lifting the lid of their own tank to steal fish from neighboring tanks.
What anecdote illustrates the octopus’s ability to manipulate its environment in a cunning manner?
An octopus at the University of Otago in New Zealand learned to turn off lights by squirting water at the bulbs, suggesting a dislike of brightness. This behavior demonstrates the octopus’s ability to seek and manipulate its environment according to its preferences.
How does the author relate his personal experience as a scuba diver to his understanding of octopuses’ consciousness and behavior?
As an experienced scuba diver, the author’s personal observation of octopuses in the Pacific Ocean close to Sydney influences his empathy and curiosity about what it feels like to be an octopus. This connection allows him to ponder the consciousness and novel acts of octopuses beyond routine or instinctual behavior.
Describe the unique visual capabilities of cephalopods and how they use them in their interactions with the environment.
Cephalopods can see with their skin, using chromatophores, iridophores, and leucophores to detect and reflect the shade and pattern of rocks or sand, replicating the terrain around or below them. They can also flood their bodies with color according to their moods. These visual capabilities aid in camouflage and may also serve as a form of communication, though the specifics are not fully understood.
According to the author, what aspects of cephalopod behavior suggest they may have a subtle form of communication?
The author speculates that the “chromatic chatter” exhibited by cephalopods, where they change colors and patterns, might be a subtle form of communication. Though not fully understood, their incredibly sensate nature and ability to learn from each other’s behavior hint at social qualities that were previously unsuspected.
What conclusion does the author draw about the similarities and connections between humans and cephalopods?
The author suggests that cephalopods, though strange and beautiful creatures, are more like humans than our hubris allows. The only thing that separates us is evolutionary chance. The deep connection with the sea and the origin of life is something that both humans and cephalopods share, making them more akin to us than we might initially believe.
