Abstract
Cuttlefish are highly visual animals, a fact reflected in the large size of their eyes and visual-processing centers of their brain. Adults detect their prey visually, navigate using visual cues such as landmarks or the e-vector of polarized light and display intense visual patterns during mating and agonistic encounters. Although much is known about the visual system in adult cuttlefish, few studies have investigated its development and that of visually-guided behavior in juveniles. This review summarizes the results of studies of visual development in embryos and young juveniles. The visual system is the last to develop, as in vertebrates, and is functional before hatching. Indeed, embryonic exposure to prey, shelters or complex background alters postembryonic behavior. Visual acuity and lateralization, and polarization sensitivity improve throughout the first months after hatching. The production of body patterning in juveniles is not the simple stimulus-response process commonly presented in the literature. Rather, it likely requires the complex integration of visual information, and is subject to inter-individual differences. Though the focus of this review is vision in cuttlefish, it is important to note that other senses, particularly sensitivity to vibration and to waterborne chemical signals, also play a role in behavior. Considering the multimodal sensory dimensions of natural stimuli and their integration and processing by individuals offer new exciting avenues of future inquiry.
Introduction
One of the most remarkable experiences one can have as a SCUBA diver is an encounter with a cuttlefish. Not only is it unexpected (during daytime, cuttlefish are mostly camouflaged, and only an experienced eye is likely to spot one), but you have a strange feeling of being observed! Indeed, the eyes of the cuttlefish are large and captivating (Figure 1). They are single-chambered camera-type eyes whose structure strikingly resembles that of vertebrates. This convergence is unique among invertebrates and was probably driven by shared ecology and competition with fish (Packard, ). Another indication of the importance of vision to cuttlefish, though other senses are important, is the size of the optic lobes. These two bean-shaped lateral nervous structures process visual information and occupy 140% of the whole central nervous system (Nixon and Young, ; Figure 2). The primary purpose of the visual system is to recognize objects so that individuals may interact with them appropriately and execute the behaviors necessary for survival. Vision plays a crucial role in the early life stages, as functional vision is essential for perception of prey, predator avoidance and visually-guided behavior (e.g., predation, Darmaillacq et al., ; camouflage, Zylinski et al., 2012; navigation, Cartron et al., ). Consequently, the early development of functional vision is critical because it enhances the chances of survival. Although the visual capacities of cephalopods have been studied extensively in adults, few studies have investigated their development. Indeed, embryos were traditionally considered to possess only limited abilities because of the immaturity of their developing brains. In this review, we will describe how the visual system develops in embryos and how it allows embryonic visual learning. We will also summarize our knowledge of some of the interesting particularities of cephalopods: polarization sensitivity (PS) and contrast perception (Shashar et al., 2002), and that of visual lateralization. Lastly, more recent data regarding the development and plasticity of defensive behavior in juveniles will be presented.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Embryonic development of the visual system and embryos' responses to visual stimuli
Development of sensory systems
Sepia officinalis eggs are laid in clusters on various kinds of rigid support such as algae, tubeworms, ropes or nets. Unlike other species of Sepia, the eggs are usually darkened with maternal ink but become more translucent due to the expansion of the capsule during embryonic development (Boletzky,
During the final phase of embryonic development (stages 23–30; Boletzky et al.,
Embryonic visual responses
There is increasing empirical evidence that prenatal experience influences postnatal perception, cognitive performance and behavior. Embryonic perceptual learning, (tested in neonates) has been demonstrated across many taxa, including insects (Caubet et al.,
Studies showed that embryonic visual experience affects both feeding and defensive behaviors. Cuttlefish embryos visually exposed to juvenile crabs for the last week before hatching will prefer crabs to their innately preferred shrimp prey (Darmaillacq et al.,
Figure 3

Seven-day-old cuttlefish's prey choice depending on whether they have been exposed to white crabs during embryonic development (“exposed”) or not (“control”). (A) To the left of the vertical: when they are presented a choice between white and black crabs. (B) To the right: when they have a choice between black crabs and shrimp. *Significant prey preference within groups (chi-square exact test: p < 0.05) and °significant difference in prey choice between groups (Fisher's exact test: P < 0.05). Modified from Guibé et al. (
Juvenile cuttlefish, that spontaneously prefer dark shelters, lose this bias when they have been exposed embryonically to white ones (Guibé and Dickel,
These preferences for certain visual characteristics such as shape and brightness following embryonic exposure are relatively straight-forward. In contrast, chemical exposure to waterborne cues from shrimp or crab alters visual preferences after hatching in a less explicable fashion. Embryonic exposure to crab odor and blank seawater had no effect on the normal preference for shrimp; exposure to shrimp cue however resulted in a reversal of the normal shrimp preference (Guibé et al.,
Development of PS, contrast sensitivity, visual acuity and visual lateralization
The cephalopod rhabdomeric-type eye has only one type of photoreceptor. The microvilli of neighboring photoreceptors are arranged orthogonally in the retina which confers sensitivity to the linear polarization of light (Shashar et al., 2002), one of the main properties of light in shallow water (Cronin and Shashar,
Spatial resolution and polarization sensitivity
Spatial resolution (or visual acuity), is the ability to discriminate fine detail (Tansley, 1965), and plays an extremely important role in the lives of animals, as it allows them to navigate in space, evade predators, catch prey, and in some species differentiate between males and females. Using an optomotor apparatus and stripes of different width, Groeger et al. (
Polarization sensitivity (PS) improves the visibility of objects by enhancing the contrast between them and the background. In cephalopods, PS increases the success of predation on transparent prey or silvery fish (Shashar et al., 1998, 2000); in cuttlefish, it may also play a role in communication between adults (Shashar et al., 1996; Boal et al.,
Figure 4

Proportion of the cuttlefish (N = 10 per group) that showed an optomotor response (OMR) to BWG (luminance only; black) or Pol (polarization; gray) patterns rotating at a velocity of 30 deg s−1, at hatching (0) and at the age of 30 days. Asterisks indicate a significant difference in the percentage of cuttlefish showing an OMR between the BWG and Pol patterns McNemar's test, (P < 0.05). Modified from Cartron et al. (
Ontogenesis of visual lateralization
Cerebral lateralization, a trait that is widespread in animal kingdom (Vallortigara and Rogers, 2005; Frasnelli et al.,
Influence of environmental constraints on PS and visual lateralization
S. officinalis, the European cuttlefish, is widespread in the English Channel, the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea where the turbidity can be high. On the other hand, S. pharaonis and S. prashadi are found in the Red Sea, on coral reefs, where the water is clearer. All these species are able to detect a polarized stimulus at higher turbidity levels than an unpolarized one (Cartron et al.,
Defensive behavior
Cephalopods are known for their skills in quickly changing skin patterns in response to environmental change, a property referred to as “dynamic camouflage” (Hanlon and Messenger,
Other body patterns (such as the deimatic and flamboyant displays) are shown in a more acute manner (only for a few seconds) and are used mainly as “secondary” defense strategies after a cuttlefish has been detected. Cuttlefish can also adopt a deceptive resemblance to natural objects in the environment (e.g., floating algae) to deceive potential predators or prey. In juvenile cuttlefish, uniform and mottle patterning are generally displayed on uniform/fine sandy backgrounds (Figure 5A) while disruptive coloration occurs on more patchy/contrasted substrates (Figures 5B,D). Uniform, mottle and disruptive patterns are usually mixed to varying degrees (Hanlon et al.,
Figure 5

The diversity of body patterns displayed by 2-month-old cuttlefish (ca. 3–4 cm dorsal mantle length). (A) stipple-uniform pattern elicited on uniform blue gravel; (B) disruptive pattern elicited on a black and white checkerboard combined with mottle pattern; (C) deimatic pattern following exposure to a “threat” (D) mottle coloration with some components of the disruptive pattern (i.e., white square, white head bar, and paired black dots). Note that patterns are not always fully expressed but exist in combination with others and may or may not directly reflect the visual background.
Functional chromatophores first appear in ovo during stage 25 of embryonic development, when the dorsal mantle length of the animal is about 2 mm (Bonnaud-Ponticelli and Boletzky,
One wonders whether body patterning development in juvenile cuttlefish is rigidly fixed or is more influenced by prior individual experience. Simple observations of body patterning in early juveniles speak to this question: when placed on the same background different individuals display different body patterns, suggesting that the response is partially determined by previous experience. Other anecdotal and experimental evidence has the opposite implication however. Hanlon and Messenger (
More controlled experiments also support an innate origin. Cuttlefish were reared in either “impoverished” conditions (housed individual tanks on a dark uniform background) or in “enriched” conditions (housed in groups in a variegated environment with sand, stones, shells, and artificial seaweeds) for 2 months (Poirier et al.,
While the preponderance of evidence suggests that body patterning is preprogrammed the fact that different individuals may use a different concealment strategies when placed in the same environment (Poirier et al.,
Figure 6

Stage 30 embryo (less than 1 cm) showing a mottle-disruptive coloration inside the egg. It has also squirted ink; note the cloud of ink in the perivitellin fluid. Note that the embryo is seen from under through a peeled S. officinalis egg (photo C.E. O'Brien).
Conclusion: embryonic ecology
In this review, we discussed the fact that the visual system is functional well before hatching, as indicated by indirect evidence from embryonic visual learning. By stage 25, the embryo's eyes are mature enough to perceive light and also to discriminate stimulus shape, movement and brightness. Unfortunately, little is known about the direct response of embryos to such stimulations and about the development of the brain structures that process visual information in cuttlefish, namely the optic lobes. The fact that cuttlefish are able to attend to and learn from their biotic and abiotic environment during the final stages of their embryonic development from the relative safety of their egg suggests that prenatal learning plays a large facilitative role in finding food and shelter after hatching. This ability may also enable prenatal social learning. Eggs are laid in clusters, and as a consequence, embryos are likely to be able see each other during development. Social rearing conditions after birth are known to have strong effects on growth and memory (Dickel et al.,
Many questions about the development of vision in cuttlefish remain to be explored. For instance, do females actively choose their egg-laying site in order to increase offspring learning and survival (i.e., non genetic maternal effects)? Cuttlefish reproduce only once in their lifetime and hence, have only a single opportunity to produce offspring. This, combined with the potential for juvenile behavior to be shaped by embryonic learning, implies that strong selection pressure (based on the presence of predators, shelters or prey for juveniles) is exerted on females' decision. Since it has long been assumed that invertebrate behaviors are mostly genetically programmed, attention should be paid to such previously-neglected effects.
This synthesis highlights the importance of vision in embryo and juvenile cuttlefish behaviors. However, like other animals, cuttlefish live in a multisensory world, and even if vision appears predominant, their behaviors may be influenced by other senses. In most animals, the senses are not equal in their ability to provide accurate information about the environment (Bremner et al.,
Statements
Author contributions
All authors read and approved this version of the ms; ASD, wrote the main part of the article; NM, wrote the section about embryonic responses; LD, wrote the section about body patterns; CEO, co-wrote the section about embryonic behavioral response and copy-edited the ms.
Funding
This review is funded by the French national agency for research (ANR), grant Presto'cog #ANR-13-BSV7-0002-01.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
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Summary
Keywords
cephalopod, vision, embryo, brain, polarization, camouflage, behavioral plasticity
Citation
Darmaillacq A-S, Mezrai N, O'Brien CE and Dickel L (2017) Visual Ecology and the Development of Visually Guided Behavior in the Cuttlefish. Front. Physiol. 8:402. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2017.00402
Received
31 October 2016
Accepted
29 May 2017
Published
13 June 2017
Volume
8 - 2017
Edited by
Daniel Osorio, University of Sussex, United Kingdom
Reviewed by
John R. Gray, University of Saskatchewan, Canada; Chuan-Chin Chiao, National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan
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© 2017 Darmaillacq, Mezrai, O'Brien and Dickel.
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*Correspondence: Anne-Sophie Darmaillacq anne-sophie.darmaillacq@unicaen.fr
This article was submitted to Invertebrate Physiology, a section of the journal Frontiers in Physiology
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