2022 Fiscal Year Annual Research Report
A new approach to address the mystery of cuttlefish camouflage
| Project/Area Number |
21F21730
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Research Institution | Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University |
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Principal Investigator |
REITER Samuel 沖縄科学技術大学院大学, 計算行動神経科学ユ ニット, 准教授 (60869155)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
ROUX NATACHA 沖縄科学技術大学院大学, 計算行動神経科学ユニット, 外国人特別研究員
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| Project Period (FY) |
2021-11-18 – 2024-03-31
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| Keywords | Visual perception / Camouflage / Cephalopod / Deep learning / Psychophysics |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
We are continuing to collect cuttlefish images in their natural environment around Okinawa coast and also decided to collect videos in order to investigate the dynamic of camouflage in the field. To complement this video data set and have a higher image resolution, we also conducted video recording experiments in aquarium set up reconstituting naturally like background. We are fitting deep neural networks with these datasets to study high dimensional visual textures within neural network latent spaces. We are also conducting brain surgery experiments to prevent cuttlefish to camouflage in laboratory and better understand the neural control of this complex behavior. Finally, in order to determine the impact of visual environment on camouflage behavior, we exposed cuttlefish embryo to various visual environment and conducted video recording after hatching to assess the effects on camouflage behavior.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.
Reason
Brain surgery experiments are highly challenging, but we are now managing to have better survival rates after surgery allowing us to now proceed to camouflage behavior recording after surgery. The results of such experiment are still uncertain, but we are pleased to have made progress on these risky experiments. Videos of the cuttlefish exposed to various visual environments are currently analyzed using deep learning techniques to understand how visual stimuli can affect cuttlefish body pattern statistics and textures.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
While continuing our fieldwork, we will continue the brain surgery experiments to better understand the role of brain parts on camouflage control and will also test a feedback hypothesis according to which cuttlefish would be able to see their back to adjust their camouflage. Those experiments combine with the visual environment experiment will allow us to better understand how environment image statistics relate to cuttlefish camouflage, how it is controlled and how it is acquired.
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