Behavioral Repertoire of lab-reared early juveniles of the Mexican four-eyed octopus, Octopus maya.
Behavioral studies have predominantly focused on organisms within the phyla Craniata and Arthropoda. Yet, there has been a growing interest in studying the behavior of organisms from alternative phyla, such as mollusks, owing to the research opportunities they offer. Among mollusks, cephalopods have emerged as a prominent subject of inquiry. However, behavioral research on Mexico’s endemic species, Octopus maya (Om), remains conspicuously scarce. Om exhibits favorable attributes for utilization as a standardized animal model in neuroscience research, primarily due to its adaptability to laboratory settings and the successful raising of multiple generations. A comprehensive understanding of Om’s behavior within laboratory environments is essential to harness its potential as a research model. Thus, the main goal of this study was to establish a comprehensive behavioral catalog for Om under laboratory conditions. Thirteen Om subjects (6 to 20 grams) were housed in controlled tank environ