The Brains and Lives of Cephalopods


Book Description

The book describes the brains and sense organs of 57 of the 139 genera of the class Cephalopoda, many in great detail, as well as a variety of morphological features. The text is well-illustrated with fully labelled line drawings and photomicrographs. Attention is drawn to the many gaps in our knowledge of these intriguing marine invertebrates with a view to stimulating future research.




Cephalopod Cognition


Book Description

Focusing on comparative cognition in cephalopods, this book illuminates the wide range of mental function in this often overlooked group.




Squid Empire


Book Description

Before there were mammals on land, there were dinosaurs. And before there were fish in the sea, there were cephalopods-the ancestors of modern squid and Earth's first truly substantial animals. Cephalopods became the first creatures to rise from the seafloor, essentially inventing the act of swimming. With dozens of tentacles and formidable shells, they presided over an undersea empire for millions of years. But when fish evolved jaws, the ocean's former top predator became its most delicious snack. Cephalopods had to step up their game. Many species streamlined their shells and added defensive spines, but these enhancements only provided a brief advantage. Some cephalopods then abandoned the shell entirely, which opened the gates to a flood of evolutionary innovations: masterful camouflage, fin-supplemented jet propulsion, perhaps even dolphin-like intelligence. Squid Empire is an epic adventure spanning hundreds of millions of years, from the marine life of the primordial ocean to the calamari on tonight's menu. Anyone who enjoys the undersea world-along with all those obsessed with things prehistoric-will be interested in the sometimes enormous, often bizarre creatures that ruled the seas long before the first dinosaurs.




Cephalopod Behaviour


Book Description

A fully updated overview of the causation, function, development and evolution of cephalopod behaviour, richly illustrated in full colour.




Octopus, Squid, and Cuttlefish


Book Description

"Cephalopods are often misunderstood creatures. Three biologists set the record straight."—Science News Largely shell-less relatives of clams and snails, the marine mollusks in the class Cephalopoda—Greek for “head-foot”—are colorful creatures of many-armed dexterity, often inky self-defense, and highly evolved cognition. They are capable of learning, of retaining information—and of rapid decision-making to avoid predators and find prey. They have eyes and senses rivaling those of vertebrates like birds and fishes, they morph texture and body shape, and they change color faster than a chameleon. In short, they captivate us. From the long-armed mimic octopus—able to imitate the appearance of swimming flounders and soles—to the aptly named flamboyant cuttlefish, whose undulating waves of color rival the graphic displays of any LCD screen, there are more than seven hundred species of cephalopod. Featuring a selection of species profiles, Octopus, Squid, and Cuttlefish reveals the evolution, anatomy, life history, behaviors, and relationships of these spellbinding animals. Their existence proves that intelligence can develop in very different ways: not only are cephalopods unusually large-brained invertebrates, they also carry two-thirds of their neurons in their arms. A treasure trove of scientific fact and visual explanation, this worldwide illustrated guide to cephalopods offers a comprehensive review of these fascinating and mysterious underwater invertebrates—from the lone hunting of the octopus, to the social squid, and the prismatic skin signaling of the cuttlefish.




Other Minds: The Octopus and the Evolution of Intelligent Life


Book Description

BBC R4 Book of the Week ‘Brilliant’ Guardian ‘Fascinating and often delightful’ The Times What if intelligent life on Earth evolved not once, but twice? The octopus is the closest we will come to meeting an intelligent alien. What can we learn from the encounter?




Cephalopods


Book Description

Squid, cuttlefish and octopuses, which form the marine mollusc group the cephalopods, are of great and increasing interest to marine biologists, physiologists, ecologists, environmental biologists and fisheries scientists. Cephalopods: ecology and fisheries is a thorough review of this most important animal group. The first introductory section of the book provides coverage of cephalopod form and function, origin and evolution, Nautilus, and biodiversity and zoogeography. The following section covers life cycles, growth, physiological ecology, reproductive strategies and early life histories. There follows a section on ecology, which provides details of slope and shelf species, oceanic and deep sea species, population ecology, trophic ecology and cephalopods as prey. The final section of the book deals with fisheries and ecological interactions, with chapters on fishing methods and scientific sampling, fisheries resources, fisheries oceanography and assessment and management methods. This scientifically comprehensive and beautifully illustrated book is essential reading for marine biologists, zoologists, ecologists and fisheries managers. All libraries in universities and research establishments where biological sciences and fisheries are studied and taught should have multiple copies of this landmark publication on their shelves.




Physiology of Molluscs


Book Description

Physiology of Molluscs: A Collection of Selected Reviews is an informative two-volume sent that brings together some of the most important recent and unique developments in molluscan physiology. Volume One focuses on shell structure, mineralization, the dynamics of calcium transport, shell drilling, byssus proteins, locomotion, and reproduction. Volume Two includes reviews on the neural mechanisms of learning, reproductive behavior, responses to environmental stress and hormones, and neurotransmitters. With the rapid development of cutting-edge proteomic, molecular biological, and cellular imaging techniques, our understanding of molluscan physiology, specifically in the areas of neurobiology, reproductive biology, and shell formation, has increased exponentially over the last several years. With contributions from some of the world’s leading experts in the field of molluscan physiology, this valuable two-volume set fills this void and will serve as an important resource for researchers, professors, and students. Chapters report on a variety of recent developments and new understanding, including • biology of byssus threads • physiology of reproduction in cephalopods • learning and memory of molluscs • endocrine disruption in molluscs • nautilus biology and behavior • cephalopod locomotion • neuronal circuitry in molluscs • reproductive endocrinology • bioactive peptides in molluscs The reviews in these two volumes will make a significant contribution to our understanding not only of molluscan physiology but also the physiology of animals in general.




Brain Structure and Its Origins


Book Description

An introduction to the brain's anatomical organization and functions with explanations in terms of evolutionary adaptations and development. This introduction to the structure of the central nervous system demonstrates that the best way to learn how the brain is put together is to understand something about why. It explains why the brain is put together as it is by describing basic functions and key aspects of its evolution and development. This approach makes the structure of the brain and spinal cord more comprehensible as well as more interesting and memorable. The book offers a detailed outline of the neuroanatomy of vertebrates, especially mammals, that equips students for further explorations of the field. Gaining familiarity with neuroanatomy requires multiple exposures to the material with many incremental additions and reviews. Thus the early chapters of this book tell the story of the brain's origins in a first run-through of the entire system; this is followed by other such surveys in succeeding chapters, each from a different angle. The book proceeds from basic aspects of nerve cells and their physiology to the evolutionary beginnings of the nervous system to differentiation and development, motor and sensory systems, and the structure and function of the main parts of the brain. Along the way, it makes enlightening connections to evolutionary history and individual development. Brain Structure and Its Origins can be used for advanced undergraduate or beginning graduate classes in neuroscience, biology, psychology, and related fields, or as a reference for researchers and others who want to know more about the brain.




The Nervous Systems of Invertebrates: An Evolutionary and Comparative Approach


Book Description

In this volume outstanding specialists review the state of the art in nervous system research for all main invertebrate groups. They provide a comprehensive up-to-date analysis important for everyone working on neuronal aspects of single groups, as well as taking into account the phylogenesis of invertebrates. The articles report on recently gained knowledge about diversification in the invertebrate nervous systems, and demonstrate the analytical power of a comparative approach. Novel techniques in molecular and developmental biology are creating new perspectives that point toward a theoretical foundation for a modern organismic biology. The comparative approach, as documented here, will engage the interest of anyone challenged by the problem of structural diversification in biology.