Effect of early feeding experience on subsequent prey preference by cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis

  1. Anne-Sophie Darmaillacq,
  2. Raymond Chichery,
  3. Roseline Poirier,
  4. Ludovic Dickel*

Article first published online: 17 NOV 2004

DOI: 10.1002/dev.20034

Issue

Developmental Psychobiology

Developmental Psychobiology

Volume 45, Issue 4, pages 239–244, December 2004

Additional Information

How to Cite

Darmaillacq, A.-S., Chichery, R., Poirier, R. and Dickel, L. (2004), Effect of early feeding experience on subsequent prey preference by cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis. Dev. Psychobiol., 45: 239–244. doi: 10.1002/dev.20034

Author Information

  1. Laboratoire de Psychophysiologie, Université de Caen, Caen, France, C.R.E.C., rue Charcot, Luc-sur-Mer, France

*Laboratoire de Psychophysiologie, Université de Caen, Caen, France, C.R.E.C., rue Charcot, Luc-sur-Mer, France.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 17 NOV 2004
  2. Article first published online: 17 NOV 2004
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 5 AUG 2004
  4. Manuscript Received: 8 APR 2004

Funded by

  • French Ministère de la Recherche et de la Technologie and Université Paris XIII

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Keywords:

  • feeding preference;
  • development;
  • learning;
  • long-term memory trace;
  • cephalopods

Abstract

Food preferences were investigated in cuttlefish during the first 3 months' posthatching, using choice tests between crabs, shrimps, and young fish. The results showed that without previous feeding experience, cuttlefish preferred shrimps on Day 3. This suggests an innate food preference; however, it was possible to induce a preference for an originally nonpreferred prey item in 3-day-old and naïve cuttlefish, demonstrating the flexibility of this initial behavioral preference in response to previous individual experience. This preference suggests a learning process involving a form of long-term memory, demonstrated for the first time in juvenile cuttlefish. Until Day 30, juvenile cuttlefish fed exclusively shrimps chose shrimps. This preference probably depends on their previous feeding experience. Finally, it appears that from Day 60, cuttlefish reared on the same restricted diet have a tendency to switch their preference to novel prey items, which diversify their diet. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 45: 239–244, 2004.

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