1. Cephalopod Biology

Cephalopod biology is briefly surveyed in the context of cephalopod culture, considering its promises and limits. The motivations for undertaking culture work vary greatly, both in a basic and applied science perspective. Under most circumstances, the outcome of an experimental culture remains uncertain until a second generation is achieved. Culture conditions of benthic, shallow-water species are more easily reached in captivity than the living conditions of offshore, pelagic and deep-sea cephalopods. In general terms, difficulties in launching a culture from eggs are inversely proportional to the size of the hatchlings involved. Although cephalopod hatchlings are always actively foraging predators equipped with the organ systems typical of the adults, a combination of very small size and a pelagic lifestyle represents a challenge for their culture, particularly to satisfy their nutritional requirements.