Learning Evolutionary Adaptation from Octopus and Squid.
Two new studies published in Nature describe how cephalopod nervous systems adapt to sense their marine environments. The first study focuses on how octopus chemotactile receptors evolved from acetylcholine neurotransmitter receptors to sense relatively insoluble, greasy molecules that stick to surfaces. The second study found that squid receptors have adapted to sense bitter molecules, which they interpret as toxic or undesirable and will release their prey. These studies provide a basis for understanding how subtle structural adaptations in cephalopod receptors can drive new behaviors suited to an animal’s specific ecological context.