University of Queensland universities discovered unusual cognitive abilities from octopuses. For this purpose, the researchers analyzed the tomographic snapshots of the central nervous system of four types of challenges, which made it possible to compare unique brain structures and tie them with behavior. The results of scientific work are presented in the article published in the journal Current Biology.
Biologists found out that the brains of octopus differ depending on where the view lives as interacting with other animals and at what time of day is active. They analyzed the central nervous system of the deep-sea octopus, as well as the mollusk, which leads the night lifestyle, and two inhabitants of reefs awake in the daytime. It turned out that mental abilities are significantly reflected in the anatomy of the brain.
octopus found in deep waters had a sleek brain, like the brain at the silent and rodents, characteristic of a slow pace of life and limited interaction with other animals. The reef octopuses had a much larger brain with some properties characteristic of primates, and adapted to solve complex visual tasks and social interaction in a well-lit medium.
The ability to perceive the gestures of other animal species and respond to them during joint hunting demonstrates that octopuses have complex cognitive abilities. For example, scientists have observed a joint hunt with fish living among corals. The large area of the brain surface indicates a more complex nervous system and reinforced mental abilities.