Octopus personality & learning
In this project we combine assessment of octopuses’ individuality (consistent among-individual variation in behaviour or personality) with a pilot study on their learning abilities in the wild.
Collaborators: R. De Donno, A. Macali, C. Carere, G. Pacchiarotti, A. Carlini, C. Strinati, A. Macali (Uni Tuscia), J. Mather (Uni Lethbridge)
Publications: Mazza et al. 2024
Lobster spatial cognition and enrichment
Lobsters are bred for aquaculture and stock enhancement purposes all around the Mediterranean. But standard rearing conditions are producing individuals with morphological alterations that likely impair their survival post release. How about their behaviour and cognition? In this project I am investigating the effects of early-life environments on behavioural variation, lateralisation, and spatial cognition. The hope is that aquaculture methods will take into account what it takes to develop wild-like phenotypes, thereby maximising release success.
Collaborators: C. Carere, L. Latini, D. Benedetti, G. Burini, D. Canestrelli, R. De Donno, G. Grignani (Uni Tuscia), M. Liuzzo, S. Malavasi (Uni Venezia), M. Bianco, S. Cavallo, E. Tricarico (Uni Firenze)
Publications: Latini et al. 2025 – Mazza et al. 2026
Cuttlefish individuality
In this project we investigate how cuttlefish individuality is reflected into different aspects of predatory and anti-predatory behaviours, which have long been considered completely fixed.
Collaborators: C. Carere, D. Canestrelli, R. De Donno (Uni Tuscia), C. Agabiti (Uni Firenze)