How Intelligent is an Octopus or a Cuttlefish? Even Smarter Than You Might Think!

Abstract

How smart is an octopus? Although we often associate intelligence with animals like dolphins, apes, elephants, parrots, and members of the crow family (jays and ravens), recent studies have revealed that octopuses and cuttlefish are also intelligent. These cephalopods have the largest brains amongst invertebrates, but their brains are completely different from our own human brains. Unlike many animals, an octopus grows up and learns on its own, without any instruction from its parents. An octopus quickly learns how to hide and camouflage itself to avoid predators. Octopuses have also been shown to use tools and sometimes they like to play. Cuttlefish, like their octopus cousins, are extremely intelligent. They are dazzling masters of camouflage, and have an excellent ability to remember past experiences, which helps guide their future behavior and decision-making. These clever cephalopods are revealing new insights that are helping scientists to understand how intelligence evolved.