Development of a Behavioral Assay using Fluidic Devices to Study Learning and Memory in Cuttlefish Larvae

We developed behavioral assays to investigate the behaviors of cuttlefish hatchlings. Despite their behavioral complexity, little is known about cuttlefish behavior due to chemical stimuli. Current work done in 6-well plates shows the need for designing new fluidic device to manipulate chemical flow, delivery times, and allow event recording. Since behavioral assays for aquatic species require a flow-through design, our chip consists of joined channels, while diffusion coefficient calculation allowed us to evaluate flow rates. Our fluidic device provides more control thus creating a complex environment for cuttlefish hatchlings to explore. Using this device and tracking software, we can quantify the movement of cuttlefish in response to different stimuli. In these trials we aim to determine how prey cues have an effect on the cuttlefish navigation throughout the new environment. By providing food rewards for performing tasks, we can determine cuttlefish ability to learn to discriminate specific chemical information. This work presents a novel method for studying animal behavior in a dynamically changing chemical environment.