Pioneering Studies on Cephalopod's Eye and Vision at the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (1883-1977)

Abstract

From the late nineteenth century onwards, the phenomena of vision and the anatomy and physiology of the eye of marine animals induced many zoologists, ethologists, physiologists, anatomists, biochemists, and ophthalmologists to travel to the Zoological Station in Naples. Initially, their preferred research objects were fish, but it soon became evident that cephalopods have features which make them particularly suited to research. After the first studies, which outlined the anatomical structure of cephalopods' eyes and optic nerves, the research rapidly shifted to the electrophysiology and biochemistry of vision. In the twentieth century these results were integrated with behavioral tests and training techniques. Between 1909 and 1913 also the well-known debate on color vision between ophthalmologist Carl von Hess and zoologist Karl von Frisch took place in Naples. Largely unknown is that the debate also concerned cephalopods. A comparative historical analysis of these studies shows how different experimental devices, theoretical frameworks, and personal factors gave rise to two diametrically opposing views.

The Current State of Cephalopod Science and Perspectives on the Most Critical Challenges Ahead From Three Early-Career Researchers

“… Young (1985) summarized early investigations of the visual and equilibrium systems and extraocular photoreceptors, while more recent reviews of sensory systems, particularly vision, are available in a number of works ( Budelmann, 1995 , 1996 ; Budelmann et al, 1997 ; Hanlon and Shashar, 2003 ; Alves et al, 2008 ; Nilsson et al, 2012 ; Dröscher, 2016 ; Levy and Hochner, 2017 ; Hanke and Osorio, 2018 ). Recent developments in the cephalopod neurosciences has been largely based on the initiative of Dr. B. Hochner and colleagues, including study of the cellular, molecular and synaptic mechanisms of the cephalopodan nervous system (e.g., Hochner et al, 2006 ; Hochner, 2010 , 2012 , 2013 ; Zullo and Hochner, 2011 ; Brown and Piscopo, 2013 ; Hochner and Shomrat, 2013 ; Shomrat et al, 2015 ; Zarrella et al, 2015 ; Turchetti-Maia et al, 2017 ).…”

From Karl von Frisch to Neuroethology: A Methodological Perspective on the Frischean Tradition's Expansion into Neuroethology**

“…For papers that discuss the far-reaching influence of Frisch's training method, see Kelber et al 2003;Kelber & Osorio 2010;Avarguès-Weber and Giurfa 2014;Dyer et al 2015;Van Nest and Moore 2018. 7 For commentary on the feud, see Warner 1931;Tinbergen 1951Tinbergen /1969Frisch 1967, on 48-49;Thorpe 1983, on 198;Hölldobler 1985;Menzel and Backhaus 1989;Autrum 1990;Kelber et al 2003;Kelber and Osorio 2010;Munz 2016, on 32-51;Dröscher 2016;Dhein 2021, on 743-749.…”

Cephalopod Behavior: From Neural Plasticity to Consciousness

“…Apart from Aristotle - who in the fourth century BC expressed the opinion that the octopus was a curious, but stupid animal (Aristotle, 1910 ; overview in Marini et al, 2017 ) - recorded observations of, and anecdotes about cephalopods and their astonishing capabilities are ubiquitous throughout recorded history (for review see for example, Borrelli and Fiorito, 2008 ; De Sio, 2011 ; Dröscher, 2016 ; Marini et al, 2017 ). Interestingly in The Voyage of the Beagle , Darwin reported an encounter with an octopus on the coast of Cape Verde.…”