Protocol for controlled behavioral testing of octopuses using a single-arm tactile discrimination two-choice task

Tamar Gutnick; Letizia Zullo; Binyamin Hochner; Michael J Kuba

doi:10.1016/j.xpro.2022.101192

Protocol for controlled behavioral testing of octopuses using a single-arm tactile discrimination two-choice task

STAR Protoc. 2022 Feb 21;3(1):101192. doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2022.101192. eCollection 2022 Mar 18.

Authors

Tamar Gutnick^{1

2}, Letizia Zullo³, Binyamin Hochner¹, Michael J Kuba^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Life Sciences, Edmond J. Safra Campus, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel.
² Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Graduate University, Okinawa 904 0495, Japan.
³ Center for Micro-BioRobotics & Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology (NSYN) Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132 Genova, Italy.

Abstract

Due to their unique body, standard behavioral testing protocols are often hard to apply to octopuses. Our protocol enables controlled behavioral testing of the sensory systems in single arms while allowing observation of the arm motion. The protocol allows the researcher to exclude the sense of vision without surgical manipulation and selectively test peripheral sensory input-derived learning and motor behavior. Applying the protocol requires systematic and multistage training of octopuses to associate correct maze interaction with food reward. For complete details on the use and execution of this profile, please refer to Gutnick et al. (2020).

Keywords: Behavior; Cognitive Neuroscience; Model Organisms; Neuroscience.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Learning
Octopodiformes*
Reward
Touch