Cuttlefish color change as an emerging proxy for ecotoxicology.

Lately, behavioral ecotoxicology has flourished because of increasing standardization of analyses of endpoints like movement. However, research tends to focus on a few model species, which limits possibilities of extrapolating and predicting toxicological effects and adverse outcomes at the population and ecosystem level. In this regard, it is recommended to assess critical species-specific behavioral responses in taxa playing key roles in trophic food webs, such as cephalopods.

Behavioural responses of the yellow emitting annelid Tomopteris helgolandica to photic stimuli.

In contrast to most mesopelagic bioluminescent organisms specialised in the emission and reception of blue light, the planktonic annelid Tomopteris helgolandica produces yellow light. This unusual feature has long been suggested to serve for intraspecific communication. Yet, this virtually admitted hypothesis has never been tested.

Physiological control of bioluminescence in a deep-sea planktonic worm, Tomopteris helgolandica.

Tomopteris helgolandica Greeff 1879 (Tomopteridae) is a transparent holoplanktonic polychaete that can emit a bright light. In this study, we investigated the emission pattern and control of this deep-sea worm's luminescence. Potassium chloride depolarisation applied on anaesthetised specimens triggered a maximal yellow light emission from specific parapodial sites, suggesting that a nervous control pathway was involved.