Octopus Senescence: The Beginning of the End

Senescence is a normal stage of an octopus's life cycle that often occurs before death. Some of the following symptoms typify it: lack of feeding, retraction of skin around the eyes, uncoordinated movement, increased undirected activity, and white unhealing lesions on the body. There is inter-...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of applied animal welfare science 2002, Vol.5 (4), p.275-283
Main Authors: Anderson, Roland C., Wood, James B., Byrne, Ruth A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aging - physiology
Animals
Behavior, Animal
Climate
Female
Life Cycle Stages - physiology
Male
Octopodiformes - growth & development
Octopodiformes - physiology
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Summary:Senescence is a normal stage of an octopus's life cycle that often occurs before death. Some of the following symptoms typify it: lack of feeding, retraction of skin around the eyes, uncoordinated movement, increased undirected activity, and white unhealing lesions on the body. There is inter- and intraspecific variability. Senescence is not a disease or a result of disease, although diseases can also be a symptom of it. Both males and females go through a senescent stage before dying-the males after mating, the females while brooding eggs and after the eggs hatch. There are many aspects of octopus senescence that have not yet been studied. This study discusses the ecological implications of senescence.
ISSN:1088-8705
1532-7604
DOI:10.1207/S15327604JAWS0504_02