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A sensory system for mating in octopus.

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Title: A sensory system for mating in octopus.
Authors: Villar, Pablo S. (AUTHOR), Jiang, Hao (AUTHOR), Shugaeva, Tatiana (AUTHOR), Berdan, Emma L. (AUTHOR), Kulkarni, Arpita (AUTHOR), Hiroi, Makoto (AUTHOR), Masucci, Giovanni (AUTHOR), Reiter, Sam (AUTHOR), Lindahl, Erik (AUTHOR), Howard, Rebecca J. (AUTHOR), Hibbs, Ryan E. (AUTHOR), Bellono, Nicholas W. (AUTHOR)
Source: Science. 4/2/2026, Vol. 392 Issue 6793, p96-101. 6p.
Subjects: Progesterone receptors, Octopuses, Chemical senses, Afferent pathways, Sensory receptors, Cephalopoda, Animal sexual behavior
Abstract: Sensory systems for mate recognition maintain species boundaries and influence diversification. Thus, uncovering how molecules and receptors evolve to mediate this critical function is essential to understanding biodiversity. Male octopuses use a specialized arm called the hectocotylus to identify females and navigate their internal organs to reach the oviduct and deliver sperm. Here, we discovered that the hectocotylus is a dual sensory and mating organ that uses contact-dependent chemosensation of progesterone, a conserved ovarian hormone. We identified chemotactile receptors for progesterone and resolved the structural basis for their evolution from ancestral neurotransmitter receptors and subsequent expansion and tuning across cephalopods. These findings reveal principles by which sensory innovations shape reproductive behavior and suggest mechanisms for how sensory evolution contributes to the diversification of life. Editor's summary: Male octopuses use a specialized arm called the hectocotylus to navigate inside of the female mantle and toward the ovary to deposit spermatophores for fertilization. The mechanisms determining the success of this strategy have remained unknown. Villar et al. have now demonstrated that progesterone produced in female ovaries activates hectocotylus neural activity and autonomous movement and stimulates male mating search behavior (see the Perspective by Di Cosmo). Sensory cells in the hectocotylus expressing the receptor CRT1 are responsible for sensing progesterone. These results describe the molecular basis of a previously unrecognized sensory organ for mating in octopus and shed light on how sensory innovation determines reproductive success. —Mattia Maroso [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Science is the property of American Association for the Advancement of Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: A sensory system for mating in octopus.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Villar%2C+Pablo+S%2E%22">Villar, Pablo S.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jiang%2C+Hao%22">Jiang, Hao</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Shugaeva%2C+Tatiana%22">Shugaeva, Tatiana</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Berdan%2C+Emma+L%2E%22">Berdan, Emma L.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kulkarni%2C+Arpita%22">Kulkarni, Arpita</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hiroi%2C+Makoto%22">Hiroi, Makoto</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Masucci%2C+Giovanni%22">Masucci, Giovanni</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Reiter%2C+Sam%22">Reiter, Sam</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lindahl%2C+Erik%22">Lindahl, Erik</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Howard%2C+Rebecca+J%2E%22">Howard, Rebecca J.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hibbs%2C+Ryan+E%2E%22">Hibbs, Ryan E.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bellono%2C+Nicholas+W%2E%22">Bellono, Nicholas W.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Science%22">Science</searchLink>. 4/2/2026, Vol. 392 Issue 6793, p96-101. 6p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Progesterone+receptors%22">Progesterone receptors</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Octopuses%22">Octopuses</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Chemical+senses%22">Chemical senses</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Afferent+pathways%22">Afferent pathways</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sensory+receptors%22">Sensory receptors</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cephalopoda%22">Cephalopoda</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Animal+sexual+behavior%22">Animal sexual behavior</searchLink>
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  Data: Sensory systems for mate recognition maintain species boundaries and influence diversification. Thus, uncovering how molecules and receptors evolve to mediate this critical function is essential to understanding biodiversity. Male octopuses use a specialized arm called the hectocotylus to identify females and navigate their internal organs to reach the oviduct and deliver sperm. Here, we discovered that the hectocotylus is a dual sensory and mating organ that uses contact-dependent chemosensation of progesterone, a conserved ovarian hormone. We identified chemotactile receptors for progesterone and resolved the structural basis for their evolution from ancestral neurotransmitter receptors and subsequent expansion and tuning across cephalopods. These findings reveal principles by which sensory innovations shape reproductive behavior and suggest mechanisms for how sensory evolution contributes to the diversification of life. Editor's summary: Male octopuses use a specialized arm called the hectocotylus to navigate inside of the female mantle and toward the ovary to deposit spermatophores for fertilization. The mechanisms determining the success of this strategy have remained unknown. Villar et al. have now demonstrated that progesterone produced in female ovaries activates hectocotylus neural activity and autonomous movement and stimulates male mating search behavior (see the Perspective by Di Cosmo). Sensory cells in the hectocotylus expressing the receptor CRT1 are responsible for sensing progesterone. These results describe the molecular basis of a previously unrecognized sensory organ for mating in octopus and shed light on how sensory innovation determines reproductive success. —Mattia Maroso [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Science is the property of American Association for the Advancement of Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=192726658
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        Value: 10.1126/science.aec9652
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        Text: English
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        Type: general
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      – SubjectFull: Chemical senses
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      – SubjectFull: Animal sexual behavior
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              Text: 4/2/2026
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