Camouflaging Cuttlefish’s Ability to Complete Incomplete Shapes

As explained in “Where’s the Cuttlefish” by Science Friday, scientists have discovered that, aside from its amazing ability to camouflage into its surroundings, the cuttlefish also has the capacity to perceive incomplete shapes as complete, much in the way humans do.

Cuttlefish change the patterns on their body for courtship rituals, when they eat a snack, and most famously when they want to blend in. How they change their skin patterns may tell us something about how they see the world, says Duke biologist Sarah Zylinski. Her work suggests that when cuttlefish see incomplete shapes, they fill in the visual blanks — much like humans do.