La inteligencia de los pulpos

Desde hace tiempo se sabe que los cefalópodos son, con mucha
diferencia, los invertebrados más inteligentes, pero determinadas
pruebas van demasiado lejos:

http://tinyurl.com/5o9gsg

Disclaimer estándar: la foto no está trucada, y no es una broma mía.

Fuente (en ingles):

inicio cita------

Daily Mail
Last updated at 9:33 AM on 07th July 2008

Octopuses given Rubik's Cubes to find out if they have a favourite
tentacle

Marine experts have given 25 octopuses a Rubik's Cube each in a study
aimed at easing their stress levels in captivity.

Scientists believe the intelligent sea creatures have a preferred arm
out of eight that they use to feed and investigate with.

They are now testing this theory with a month-long observation project
in which the octopuses will be given food and toys to play with.

 They will then record whether the creatures use a specific limb to
pick up the object or if they are octidextrous.

It is hoped the results of the Sea Life Centre study will shed light
on 'handiness' in the animal kingdom.

Claire Little, marine expert at the Sea Life Centre in Weymouth,
Dorset, said the study could eventually help to reduce stress among
octopuses.

She said: 'It will be very interesting to see the results.

'Uniquely, octopuses have more than half their nerves in their arms
and have even been shown to partially think with their arms.

'We hope the study will help the overall well-being of octopuses. They
are very susceptible to stress so if they do have a favourite side to
be fed on, it could reduce risk to them."

The octopus research will take place in the 23 branches of the Sea
Life Centre attractions Britain and Europe.

A diagram of an octopus will sit alongside the tanks with the arms on
the right labelled R1, R2, R3 and R4 from front to back. The left arms
will be numbered in the same way but with an L instead of an R.

Items such as a ball, a jam jar and lego bricks will be dropped into
the water for the octopuses to play with.

Visitors will then be asked to note down which arm was closest to the
object and which arm picked it up.

If the octopus uses several arms, they must write them all down but in
the order they touched it.

Staff at the centre will also do the same during feeding time.

Miss Little said: 'Visitors will be handed a form asking them to
participate in our study.

'We will add the results to all of the data that has already been
collected about octopuses. It will also help towards solving the
mystery of handiness in the animal kingdom.'

The results will be analysed by Sea Life Centre biologists and the
results will be announced in the autumn.

fin cita---------------

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