Compositional Similarities that Link the Eyes and Skin of Cephalopods: Implications in Optical Sensing and Signaling during Camouflage

Abstract

Synopsis Cephalopods, including squid, octopus, and cuttlefish, can rapidly camouflage in different underwater environments by employing multiple optical effects including light scattering, absorption, reflection, and refraction. They can do so with exquisite control and within a fraction of a second—two features that indicate distributed, intra-dermal sensory, and signaling components. However, the fundamental biochemical, electrical, and mechanical controls that regulate color and color change, from discrete elements to interconnected modules, are still not fully understood despite decades of research in this space. This perspective highlights key advancements in the biochemical analysis of cephalopod skin and discusses compositional connections between cephalopod ocular lenses and skin with features that may also facilitate signal transduction during camouflage.