Assessing Negative Welfare Measures for Wild Invertebrates: The Case for Octopuses
Welfare metrics have been established for octopuses in the laboratory, but not for octopuses living in the wild. Wild octopuses are constantly exposed to potentially harmful situations, and the ability to assess the welfare status of wild octopuses could provide pertinent information about individua...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-09-01
|
| Series: | Animals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/19/3021 |
| _version_ | 1827722946922151936 |
|---|---|
| author | Michaella P. Andrade Charles Morphy D. Santos Mizziara M. M. De Paiva Sylvia L. S. Medeiros C. E. O’Brien Françoise D. Lima Janaina F. Machado Tatiana S. Leite |
| author_facet | Michaella P. Andrade Charles Morphy D. Santos Mizziara M. M. De Paiva Sylvia L. S. Medeiros C. E. O’Brien Françoise D. Lima Janaina F. Machado Tatiana S. Leite |
| author_sort | Michaella P. Andrade |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Welfare metrics have been established for octopuses in the laboratory, but not for octopuses living in the wild. Wild octopuses are constantly exposed to potentially harmful situations, and the ability to assess the welfare status of wild octopuses could provide pertinent information about individuals’ health and species’ resilience to stressors. Here, we used underwater photos and videos to identify injuries and stress-related behaviors in wild <i>Octopus insularis</i> in a variety of contexts, including interacting with fishermen, interacting with other octopuses and fish, proximity to predators, in den, foraging, and in senescence. We adapted established metrics of octopus welfare from the laboratory to these wild octopuses. In addition to observing all of the stress measures, we also identified two previously unknown measures associated with decreased welfare: (1) a half white eye flash and (2) a half-and-half blotch body pattern. More than half of the individuals analyzed had arm loss, and almost half of the individuals had skin injuries. We also observed that irregular chromatophore expression and abnormal motor coordination were associated with interactions with fishermen. This is the first study to apply measures of welfare from the laboratory to wild octopuses. Our results may also aid in the identification of welfare measures for other wild invertebrates. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:50:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-38d34071bdf549c5b14f0d4ade68315e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:50:24Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-38d34071bdf549c5b14f0d4ade68315e2023-11-19T13:59:07ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152023-09-011319302110.3390/ani13193021Assessing Negative Welfare Measures for Wild Invertebrates: The Case for OctopusesMichaella P. Andrade0Charles Morphy D. Santos1Mizziara M. M. De Paiva2Sylvia L. S. Medeiros3C. E. O’Brien4Françoise D. Lima5Janaina F. Machado6Tatiana S. Leite7Graduate Program in Evolution and Diversity, Federal University of ABC, Av. dos Estados, 5001, Bairro Bangu, Santo André 09210-580, BrazilGraduate Program in Evolution and Diversity, Federal University of ABC, Av. dos Estados, 5001, Bairro Bangu, Santo André 09210-580, BrazilGraduate Program in Neurosciences, Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-900, BrazilGraduate Program in Neurosciences, Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-900, BrazilThe School for Field Studies Center for Marine Resource Studies, Cockburn Harbour TKCA 1ZZ, Turks and Caicos IslandsOKEANOS, Institute of Marine Sciences, University of the Azores, 9901862 Horta, PortugalRegional Program for Development and Environment, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-900, BrazilDepartment of Ecology and Zoology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, BrazilWelfare metrics have been established for octopuses in the laboratory, but not for octopuses living in the wild. Wild octopuses are constantly exposed to potentially harmful situations, and the ability to assess the welfare status of wild octopuses could provide pertinent information about individuals’ health and species’ resilience to stressors. Here, we used underwater photos and videos to identify injuries and stress-related behaviors in wild <i>Octopus insularis</i> in a variety of contexts, including interacting with fishermen, interacting with other octopuses and fish, proximity to predators, in den, foraging, and in senescence. We adapted established metrics of octopus welfare from the laboratory to these wild octopuses. In addition to observing all of the stress measures, we also identified two previously unknown measures associated with decreased welfare: (1) a half white eye flash and (2) a half-and-half blotch body pattern. More than half of the individuals analyzed had arm loss, and almost half of the individuals had skin injuries. We also observed that irregular chromatophore expression and abnormal motor coordination were associated with interactions with fishermen. This is the first study to apply measures of welfare from the laboratory to wild octopuses. Our results may also aid in the identification of welfare measures for other wild invertebrates.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/19/3021body patternsCephalopodafield studysentience |
| spellingShingle | Michaella P. Andrade Charles Morphy D. Santos Mizziara M. M. De Paiva Sylvia L. S. Medeiros C. E. O’Brien Françoise D. Lima Janaina F. Machado Tatiana S. Leite Assessing Negative Welfare Measures for Wild Invertebrates: The Case for Octopuses Animals body patterns Cephalopoda field study sentience |
| title | Assessing Negative Welfare Measures for Wild Invertebrates: The Case for Octopuses |
| title_full | Assessing Negative Welfare Measures for Wild Invertebrates: The Case for Octopuses |
| title_fullStr | Assessing Negative Welfare Measures for Wild Invertebrates: The Case for Octopuses |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing Negative Welfare Measures for Wild Invertebrates: The Case for Octopuses |
| title_short | Assessing Negative Welfare Measures for Wild Invertebrates: The Case for Octopuses |
| title_sort | assessing negative welfare measures for wild invertebrates the case for octopuses |
| topic | body patterns Cephalopoda field study sentience |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/19/3021 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT michaellapandrade assessingnegativewelfaremeasuresforwildinvertebratesthecaseforoctopuses AT charlesmorphydsantos assessingnegativewelfaremeasuresforwildinvertebratesthecaseforoctopuses AT mizziarammdepaiva assessingnegativewelfaremeasuresforwildinvertebratesthecaseforoctopuses AT sylvialsmedeiros assessingnegativewelfaremeasuresforwildinvertebratesthecaseforoctopuses AT ceobrien assessingnegativewelfaremeasuresforwildinvertebratesthecaseforoctopuses AT francoisedlima assessingnegativewelfaremeasuresforwildinvertebratesthecaseforoctopuses AT janainafmachado assessingnegativewelfaremeasuresforwildinvertebratesthecaseforoctopuses AT tatianasleite assessingnegativewelfaremeasuresforwildinvertebratesthecaseforoctopuses |