Scientists discover how female octopuses signal males during mating
Researchers have identified a previously unknown sensory system that allows male octopuses to locate eggs inside females—a chemical signaling mechanism mediated by the hormone progesterone. The discovery reveals how sensory innovation shapes reproductive success in complex marine animals and may inform our understanding of animal behavior and fertility mechanisms across species.
Originaltitel: A sensory system for mating in octopus
<p>Male octopuses use a specialized arm called the hectocotylus to navigate inside of the female mantle and toward the ovary to deposit spermatophores for fertilization. The mechanisms determining the success of this strategy have remained unknown. Villar <em>et al</em>. have now demonstrated that progesterone produced in female ovaries activates hectocotylus neural activity and autonomous movement and stimulates male mating search behavior (see the Perspective by Di Cosmo). Sensory cells in the hectocotylus expressing the receptor CRT1 are responsible for sensing progesterone. These results describe the molecular basis of a previously unrecognized sensory organ for mating in octopus and shed light on how sensory innovation determines reproductive success. —Mattia Maroso</p>