Innate response to first feeding in Octopus berrima hatchlings despite embryonic food imprinting - Dataset and R Script

Abstract:
Food imprinting has both ecological and evolutionary significance but the generality of these
patterns for octopods remains unknown. We aim to determine the prey preference of Octopus
berrima hatchlings and whether it may be modified through imprinting. Firstly, hatchlings were
given isopods, amphipods and mussels to determine their prey preference ranking. In a separate
experiment, embryos were exposed to the visual and chemical stimuli of either isopods, amphipods
or mussels separately at least a week before hatching. A prey preference test on hatchlings using all
three prey types was conducted. We found that O. berrima had a preference ranking of isopods >
amphipods > mussels. However, they retained their isopod prey preference regardless of the prey
type they were embryonically exposed to, indicating that it is likely pre-determined as a result of
innate biological processes rather than from life experience, providing evidence that imprinting
does not occur in O. berrima.