• HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
Friday, October 3, 2025
BIOENGINEER.ORG
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
No Result
View All Result
Bioengineer.org
No Result
View All Result
Home NEWS Science News

The courting cephalopods of the East China Sea

Bioengineer by Bioengineer
May 2, 2017
in Science News
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedinShare on RedditShare on Telegram
IMAGE

Credit: Photo by Mr. Chun-Yen Lin, Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan

William Shakespeare wrote with a quill, Helen Keller liked her typewriter, and the oval squid prefers to use its body, when it comes to expressing love. But unlike these famous authors, the romanticisms of Sepioteuthis lessoniana were unknown. Until now.

Recent research out of the National Tsing Hua University (Taiwan), and published in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, has finally deciphered the previously unknown symbols and shapes the oval squid decorates itself in, and how they are used.

The animals make use of naturally occurring chromatic components, which are stored within their bodies. They use these to paint their skin with lines, spots and stripes, of varying shades and complexities, to signal their desirability to future lovers and warn off potential foes. Researchers, led by Prof Chiao, took to the East China Sea, near the city of Taipei, to study the oval squid in the wild. Underwater they built an attractive home, made of bamboo branches and leaves, to provide the female oval squid a safe place to nest, lay their eggs, and provide shelter to hatchlings.

Over the course of three months scuba divers recorded the movements and displays of the gathering squid, looking for repeating patterns of tone change between mating partners. Amazingly they also observed the underwater show included elegant and specific movements that varied depending on the gender and social status.

For instance, should two males get into a fight over a possible partner, then they will swim around each other, vying for the higher position. The conclusion of this "dance" is when the winner literally ends up on top of the loser. He cements this victory with a strong visual display, broadcasting his success to all, including his future mate. The loser is not completely defeated however as he can still have a chance to fertilize some of the female's eggs, all be it outside of her egg laying period. In a rapid movement which the researchers termed "male-upturned mating", the squid will approach above her, flip himself upside down, place his sperm and scoot away, passing on his genes to the next generation.

Female oval squid are polyandrous, meaning that they will, during their egg laying period, take multiple males to be their mate. Like the fighting males, they too will use expressive patterns to determine possible partners. A dark pattern on her body indicates a rejection of the pursing male's advances.

In total, the researchers found five common behavior patterns with their own intricate movements and tone signals, and which are also dependent on an individual squid's standing in the group. This intricate language of patterns, movements and associated behaviors have been compiled into an "ethogram" (a dictionary of a species' communication methods) which will assist in future behavioral studies, not just in these expressive cephalopods, but in other species too.

In time, we may come to understand the exact meanings in the symbols the romantic oval squid adorns on its body. But until then, we will have to make do with the sonnets of Shakespeare to make our partner swoon.

###

Media Contact

Melissa Cochrane
[email protected]
0041-787-246-393
@frontiersin

http://www.frontiersin.org

############

Story Source: Materials provided by Scienmag

Share12Tweet7Share2ShareShareShare1

Related Posts

Nationwide Survey Reveals Insights on Internal Medicine Mentorship

October 3, 2025
blank

OfGATA9 Boosts Flower Size in Sweet Osmanthus

October 3, 2025

Comprehensive Analysis of Cystic Fibrosis Treatments for Kids

October 3, 2025

Exploring Phytobiotics in Fish and Shellfish

October 3, 2025
Please login to join discussion

POPULAR NEWS

  • New Study Reveals the Science Behind Exercise and Weight Loss

    New Study Reveals the Science Behind Exercise and Weight Loss

    92 shares
    Share 37 Tweet 23
  • New Study Indicates Children’s Risk of Long COVID Could Double Following a Second Infection – The Lancet Infectious Diseases

    86 shares
    Share 34 Tweet 22
  • Physicists Develop Visible Time Crystal for the First Time

    74 shares
    Share 30 Tweet 19
  • How Donor Human Milk Storage Impacts Gut Health in Preemies

    65 shares
    Share 26 Tweet 16

About

We bring you the latest biotechnology news from best research centers and universities around the world. Check our website.

Follow us

Recent News

Nationwide Survey Reveals Insights on Internal Medicine Mentorship

OfGATA9 Boosts Flower Size in Sweet Osmanthus

Comprehensive Analysis of Cystic Fibrosis Treatments for Kids

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 60 other subscribers
  • Contact Us

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Homepages
    • Home Page 1
    • Home Page 2
  • News
  • National
  • Business
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Science

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.