threaded | unthreaded | newest first

Cephalopod Intelligence?

topic posted Sun, October 8, 2006 - 1:27 AM by  Matt 		Share/Save/Bookmark
Advertisement
How intelligent are cephalopods? How would you rank the best-known species compared with other well-known animals? Can anyone use their knowledge and intuition to make a list? Is Sepia officinalis (Cuttlefish) really the smartest of all?
posted by:
Matt
offline Matt
SF Bay Area
7 friends
join to post
Advertisement
Advertisement
  • Saul
    Saul
    offline 392

    Re: Cephalopod Intelligence?

    Sun, October 8, 2006 - 1:44 PM
    the smart ones are usually compared to cats, octopus especially.

    I would wager that octopus are generally the smartest of the bunch, with cuttles and reef squid close behind.
    join to post
    • Oran...
      Orangeboxman
      offline 135

      Re: Cephalopod Intelligence?

      Sun, October 8, 2006 - 7:10 PM
      Have you ever seen an octopus open up a tuna sandwich to get at the tuna?

      Weird.
      join to post
      • Vicious
        Vicious
        offline 301

        Re: Cephalopod Intelligence?

        Mon, October 9, 2006 - 9:32 AM
        I have seen many imopressive videos of Octopuses getting into things. I was also highly impressed when I went to the aquarium. There were toys on the octo cages. Any animal that is smart enough to get bored if there are not interesting things around to play with has to be pretty smart.
        join to post
        • Saul
          Saul
          offline 392

          Re: Cephalopod Intelligence?

          Mon, October 9, 2006 - 9:47 AM
          it's sad if they get bored, they self mutilate. if you put an octopus in a boring environment with nothing to stimulate it it will start to eat it's own arms.
          join to post
          • Oran...
            Orangeboxman
            offline 135

            Re: Cephalopod Intelligence?

            Mon, October 9, 2006 - 9:58 AM
            The most impressive thing I saw was on that Alan Alda show.

            They effectively proved that one octopus could learn how to open a jar just by watching another octopus do it.
            join to post
          • Matt
            Matt
            offline 7

            Re: Cephalopod Intelligence?

            Fri, October 13, 2006 - 2:32 PM
            The Pacific Giant Octopus is the only invertebrate shown to play (according to Mather & Anderson, 1999, J Comp Psych 113:333-338). But probably others do, if they are bored in captivity. What about all those color patterns in reef squid? It would be hard to prove they were playing, but they might at times.
            join to post
            • Saul
              Saul
              offline 392

              Re: Cephalopod Intelligence?

              Fri, October 13, 2006 - 4:29 PM
              >>The Pacific Giant Octopus is the only invertebrate shown to play

              that's patently untrue. these aren't teuthologists, are they? ask anyone who's kept a Bimac - they all play. cuttles will play as well.

              as far as the color patterns in reef squid, check out Communication And Noncommunication in Cephalopods by Martin Moynihan.
              join to post

Recent topics in "Cephalopods"

Topic Author Replies Last Post
Deeep in the gulf of Mexico..................... Davey 4 February 25, 2009
Acadamy of Science? SF Vicious 4 December 11, 2008
Oktapodi MaryEllen 2 September 15, 2008
Monster Hunt on TV finds actual monster Andy 6 April 14, 2008