Polarization Sensitivity in Cephalopods—Cuttlefish as Model Animals

Polarization sensitivity (PS), specifically sensitivity to linearly polarized light, has been known in cephalopods for over 60 years. So far, our neurological understanding of this PS has remained at the level of the retina, and our knowledge of how polarization information is processed is scant. However, when examining function, a range of tasks in which PS plays a role have been identified. Over the recent decades, research on PS of cephalopods had, in addition to retinal studies, a largely behavioural approach, focusing on the potential functions of PS in cuttlefish. These behavioural studies have shed light into how their keen PS is used across a multitude of tasks, including navigation, object detection and recognition, image stabilization and visual communication, providing a range of information as to the importance of PS to marine animals. Future studies will need to delve further into the neurological anatomy of cephalopods, examining how polarization information is processed, potentially providing a link between polarization inputs and behavioural outputs. Additionally, further analysis of the physical limitations in the propagation of polarization signals under the various optical conditions found in marine environments is needed for a better understanding of the function of PS in the lives of cephalopods.