A study utilizing ethological and genomic methods to understand the evolution of intelligence in cephalopods by measuring high cognitive abilities of bobtail squids

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K15901
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 40030:Aquatic bioproduction science-related
• Research Institution: Keio University (2021-2022); Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (2019-2020)
• Principal Investigator: SUGIMOTO Chikatoshi 慶應義塾大学, 法学部(日吉), 助教 (00813718)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 頭足類 / 高次認知能 / コミュニケーション / 空間認知 / ダンゴイカ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In some animals having the higher cognitive abilities including human, we can figure out an axis of the abilities bounded by communication and spatial recognition. To show that the axis is applicable to cephalopods is important in the achievement of this study. In addition, it is also meaningful to establish the easy and effective way evaluating the variation of cognitive abilities among cephalopods along the axis and to show a possibility of relationship between the abilities and genetic background estimated from broader area of genome with the bobtail squids as an intermediate model of cephalopods.

Free Research Field

海洋動物行動学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究により、ヒトを含む幅広い動物と対比可能な高次認知能評価のための指標が得られ、コミュニケーション能と空間認知能の変異や連関に関する新たな知見の解明が進むことから、ヒトの認知障害や子供の認知発達などの理解の深化につながるといった社会的意義がある。また、頭足類の高次認知能を体系的に評価できることから、頭足類の行動や生態の理解を促進する点で、資源管理などの水産学分野への寄与も大きい。さらに、頭足類の高次認知能と関連のあるゲノム領域特定に向けた多くの有用マーカー開発につながることから、無脊椎動物を始め多くの動物の行動とゲノムとの関連理解のための有用な知見となり、ゲノム科学や進化学への貢献も大きい。