A brain atlas of the camouflaging dwarf cuttlefish, Sepia bandensis

Abstract

The coleoid cephalopods (cuttlefish, octopus, and squid) are a group of soft-bodied marine mollusks that exhibit an array of interesting biological phenomena, including dynamic camouflage, complex social behaviors, prehensile regenerating arms, and large brains capable of learning, memory, and problem-solving [1-10]. The dwarf cuttlefish, Sepia bandensis, is a promising model cephalopod species due to its small size, substantial egg production, short generation time, and dynamic social and camouflage behaviors [11]. Cuttlefish dynamically camouflage to their surroundings by changing the color, pattern and texture of their skin. Camouflage is optically-driven, and is achieved by expanding and contracting hundreds of thousands of pigment-filled saccules (chromatophores) in the skin, which are controlled by motor neurons emanating from the brain. We generated a dwarf cuttlefish brain atlas using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), deep learning, and histology, and we built an interactive web tool (cuttlebase.org) to host the data. Guided by observations in other cephalopods [12-20], we identified 32 brain lobes, including two large optic lobes (75% the total volume of the brain), chromatophore lobes whose motor neurons directly innervate the chromatophores of the color-changing skin, and a vertical lobe that has been implicated in learning and memory. This brain atlas provides a valuable tool for exploring the neural basis of cuttlefish behavior.