Are octopuses really colorblind?

Octopuses, squid and other cephalopods are colorblind – their eyes see only black and white – but their weirdly shaped pupils may allow them to detect color and mimic the colors of their background, according to a father/son team of researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, and Harvard University.

For more information, visit: http://news.berkeley.edu/2016/07/05/w...

For decades, biologists have puzzled over the paradox that, despite their brilliantly colored skin and ability to rapidly change color to blend into the background, cephalopods have eyes containing only one type of light receptor, which basically means they see only black and white.

Why would a male risk flashing its bright colors during a mating dance if the female couldn’t even see him but a nearby fish could – and quickly gulp him down? And how could these animals match the color of their skin with their surroundings as camouflage if they can’t actually see the colors?

According to UC Berkeley graduate student Alexander Stubbs, cephalopods may actually be able to see color – just differently from any other animal.

Video by Roxanne Makasdjian and Stephen McNally

Video and image provided by: Roger Hanlon, Jaime Aguilera, and Roy Cadwell

Music: "Good Starts" by Jingle Punks

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