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October 6, 2023

Chemotactile receptors in suckers of octopus help them explore surroundings

Chemotactile receptors in the suckers of octopus allow the animals to methodically explore their surroundings using "taste by touch." Researchers traced the evolutionary adaptations in the sensing capabilities of octopus and squid, revealing evolutionary links to human brain receptors.

[Research supported by U.S. National Science Foundation grant DBI 2010728.]

Learn more in the UC San Diego news story Tracking a New Path to Octopus and Squid Sensing Capabilities. (Date of image: Unknown; date originally posted to NSF Multimedia Gallery: Sept. 22, 2023)

Credit: Anik Grearson and Peter Kilian


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