One of the most remarkable feats of biological ‘wizardry’ in the animal kingdom is the ability of some cephalopods (octopuses, squids, and cuttlefish) to rapidly change the color, patterning, and texture of their skin so as to blend in with their background. They accomplish these feats through the linking of neural circuits in the visual system and brain to muscle cells that control the dispersion of pigment in specialized skin cells called chromatophores. But the details of the neural circuitry and the computational processes that control the camouflaging process remain largely unknown. In this episode Columbia University neuroscientist Tessa Montague talks about her research on the neurobiology of camouflage and the many challenges that must be overcome to better understand this remarkable phenomenon.

LINKS

Dr. Montague’s cuttlefish lab webpage: Tessamontague.com

Links to camouflaging cephalopods

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XocHDvHlcJM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ojb1pxcSr5E

Articles on the neurobiology of camouflage

https://www.cell.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0960-9822%2823%2901182-X

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959438824000382?via%3Dihub

https://www.cell.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0960-9822%2823%2900757-1