...In the respected journal Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries.
Here we developed a brand new tool to study octopus: statolith chemistry. The research involved analysing trace elemental concentrations in octopus ear stones or statoliths, tiny calcified structures found behind the eye sockets. We found that trace elemental profiles differed between collection locations, particularly between locations with distinct temperature and salinity profiles. Interestingly, boron, barium and manganese were the most useful elements (and strontium was not, which was a surprise because is it very useful in other animals!).
Similar techniques have been applied to fish for decades (i.e. otolith chemistry), generating invaluable data on fish movement and origins and informing the management of many fisheries. We hope that statolith chemistry will have similar value to researchers studying octopus.
