Cephalopod intelligence
Measure of cognitive ability of cephalopods
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Key Takeaways
- Cephalopod intelligence is a measure of the cognitive ability of the cephalopod class of molluscs.
- Though these criteria are difficult to measure in nonhuman animals, cephalopods are the most intelligent invertebrates.
- In particular, the Coleoidea subclass (cuttlefish, squid, and octopuses) is thought to contain the most intelligent invertebrates.
- The scope of cephalopod intelligence and learning capability is controversial within the biological community, complicated by the inherent complexity of quantifying non-vertebrate intelligence.
- Cephalopods are legally classified as sentient in some countries and have been compared to intelligent extraterrestrials, due to their convergently evolved mammal-like intelligence.
Cephalopod intelligence is a measure of the cognitive ability of the cephalopod class of molluscs.
Intelligence is generally defined as the process of acquiring, storing, retrieving, combining, and comparing information and skills. Though these criteria are difficult to measure in nonhuman animals, cephalopods are the most intelligent invertebrates. The study of cephalopod intelligence also has an important comparative aspect in the broader understanding of animal cognition because it relies on a nervous system that is fundamentally different from that of vertebrates. In particular, the Coleoidea subclass (cuttlefish, squid, and octopuses) is thought to contain the most intelligent invertebrates. It is also thought to be an important example of advanced cognitive evolution in animals, though nautilus intelligence is also a subject of growing interest among zoologists.
The scope of cephalopod intelligence and learning capability is controversial within the biological community, complicated by the inherent complexity of quantifying non-vertebrate intelligence. In spite of this, the existence of impressive spatial learning capacity, navigational abilities, and predatory techniques in cephalopods is widely acknowledged. Cephalopods are legally classified as sentient in some countries and have been compared to intelligent extraterrestrials, due to their convergently evolved mammal-like intelligence.
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