Research

Sucker formation mechanism in cephalopods

Squids and octopuses lined up with fish at supermarkets and fish stores. People know that suckers are lined up on their arms. Suckers are indispensable structures for dexterous behavior squids and octopuses such as prey capture and manipuration, but it was not revealed how this characteristic structure has been acquired.

Since suckers are important in considering the evolution of squids and octopuses that have prospered in the ocean as intelligent and agile predators, we observe and describe their basic morphogenetic processes and perform molecular embryological analysis.