Cephalopods usually have large and mobile eyes with which they constantly scan their environment. The eyes of cephalopods are single-chamber eyes which show resemblance to vertebrate eyes. However there are marked differences such as the cephalopod eye having an everted retina instead of an inverted retina found in vertebrates. Their visual system allows the cephalopods, depending on species, to discriminate objects on the basis of their shapes or sizes, images from mirror images or to learn from the observation of others. The cephalopod visual system is also polarization sensitive and controls camouflage, an extraordinary ability almost exclusive to all cephalopods; they are capable of rapidly adapting their body coloration as well as altering their body shape to any background, in almost any condition and even during self-motion. Visual scene analysis ultimately leads to motor outputs that cause an appropriate change in skin coloration or texture by acting directly on chromatophores or papillae in the skin. Mirroring these numerous functions of the visual system, large parts of the cephalopod brain are devoted to the processing of visual information. This research topic focuses on current advances in the knowledge of cephalopod vision. It is designed to facilitate merging questions, approaches and data available through the work of different researchers working on different aspects of cephalopod vision. Thus the research topic creates mutual awareness, and facilitates the growth of a field of research with a long tradition - cephalopod vision, visual perception and cognition as well as the mechanisms of camouflage. This research topic emerged from a workshop on “Vision in cephalopods” as part of the COST Action FA1301.

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

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

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 Culture is the first compilation of research on the culture of cephalopods. It describes experiences of culturing different groups of cephalopods: nautiluses, sepioids (Sepia officinalis, Sepia pharaonis, Sepiella inermis, Sepiella japonica Euprymna hyllebergi, Euprymna tasmanica), squids (Loligo vulgaris, Doryteuthis opalescens, Sepioteuthis lessoniana) and octopods (Amphioctopus aegina, Enteroctopus megalocyathus, Octopus maya, Octopus mimus, Octopus minor, Octopus vulgaris, Robsonella fontaniana). It also includes the main conclusions which have been drawn from the research and the future challenges in this field. This makes this book not only an ideal introduction to cephalopod culture, but also a valuable resource for those already involved in this topic.

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?