Light-emitting suckers in an octopus

Sönke Johnsen (), Elisabeth J. Balser and Edith A. Widder
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Sönke Johnsen: Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution
Elisabeth J. Balser: Illinois Wesleyan University
Edith A. Widder: Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution

Nature, 1999, vol. 398, issue 6723, 113-114

Abstract: Abstract Squids and cuttlefish often have light organs on different parts of their bodies that consist of a complex arrangement of lenses, mirrors, irises, light guides, coloured filters and shutters1. These extraordinary features are rare in their sister group, the octopods, in which light organs have been reported only in breeding females of two genera1. We have discovered that blue-green light is emitted from the suckers of a deep-sea finned octopod, Stauroteuthis syrtensis. The light organs have characteristics of both simple photophores and suckers, suggesting that they could have evolved from suckers. The function of the light is unknown, but it may be related to the non-bioluminescent sucker signalling used by shallow-water octopods2, or act as a lure for prey3.

Date: 1999
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DOI: 10.1038/18131

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