Delayed Responses in Octopus

Abstract

Octopuses were tested for their ability to perform delayed responses after varying delays and brain lesions. Octopuses delayed for 10 sec. were capable of accurate performance without training. In order to make a correct response after 20 or 30 sec. delays some ‘learning’ is needed. Animals without vertical lobes or without median superior frontal lobes delayed for 30 sec. responded correctly. The majority of correct attacks were ‘swimming attacks’ in which the animal swam through the water without contacting the walls of the tank. ‘Shaking up’ the animals and disturbing them so that any orientating contact between the octopus and the door and sides of the tank was destroyed, did not decrease the accuracy of the response. The time taken for the response in these experiments was slightly increased.