Invertebrate

Do arthropods respond to noxious stimuli purely by reflex?

Mikhalevich & Powell (2020) argue that it is wrong to dismiss the idea of sentience in invertebrates. Here, I expand on the evidence for crustaceans responding to noxious stimuli in ways that are not explained by mere reflexes, and that...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Emotion, Pain, & SentienceAnimal Type: Crustacean, Invertebrate

Citation: Elwood, R. W. 2020. Do arthropods respond to noxious stimuli purely by reflex? Animal Sentience 29(10).

Changing priorities about protective shelters: A review of a key method to investigate possible pain in crustaceans

Testing if non-human taxa experience pain is difficult because we need to exclude the possibility that responses are nociceptive reflexes. One approach is to identify an essential, high priority, resource and then ask if the animal will abandon and subsequently...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Emotion, Pain, & SentienceAnimal Type: Crustacean, Invertebrate

Citation: Elwood, R. W. 2025. Changing priorities about protective shelters: A review of a key method to investigate possible pain in crustaceans. Biology Letters 21(9), 20250342.

Identifying trends in reporting on the ethical treatment of insects in research

Transparent reporting on the ethical treatment of research animals (e.g., implementation of the 3Rs, replace, reduce, and refine) is recommended when publishing in peer-reviewed literature. This is meant to foster public trust, safeguard animal welfare, and generate reproducible science. However,...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Regulations & Ethical ReviewAnimal Type: Insect & Spider, Invertebrate

Citation: Perl, C. D., Kissinger, C., Godfrey, R. K. et al. 2025. Identifying trends in reporting on the ethical treatment of insects in research. PLOS ONE 20(8), e0328931.

Evidence of play behavior in captive California two-spot octopuses, Octopus bimaculoides

Play is considered to be an essential part of development that supports learning, memory, and the development of flexible behavioral strategies. It may also serve as an informative factor in assessing an animal’s welfare state and in improving care and...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Cephalopod, Invertebrate

Citation: Jarmoluk, K., Pelled, G. 2025. Evidence of play behavior in captive California two-spot octopuses, Octopus bimaculoides. PLOS ONE 20(7), e0326379.

Assessing the welfare of spiny lobsters and true lobsters in aquaria: Biology-informed best-practice guidelines for captive conditions

The welfare of decapod crustaceans held in captivity, whether in aquariums, holding facilities, seafood restaurants, supermarkets, or fishmongers, is attracting growing attention and concern. This review focuses on three species that are commonly found in European commercial environments: the European...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Body Modification/Mutilation, Husbandry & Management, Stocking DensityAnimal Type: Crustacean, Invertebrate

Citation: Fruscella, L., Elwood, R. W., Passantino, A. 2025. Assessing the welfare of spiny lobsters and true lobsters in aquaria: Biology-informed best-practice guidelines for captive conditions. Animals 15(16), 2397.

Effects of light colour and intensity on stress responses in the Pacific white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei).

Stress is a natural defence mechanism that can negatively impact the outcome of experiments and increase interindividual variability. Among environmental parameters, light colour and intensity are known to impact stress responses in numerous species. The Pacific white shrimp Penaeus vannamei...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Crustacean, Invertebrate

Citation: Pichon, C., Kersante, P., Le Reste, G. et al. 2025. Effects of light colour and intensity on stress responses in the Pacific white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 289, 106694.

Stress induced by fishing in common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) and relative impact on its use as an experimental model (2025)

The common octopus (Octopus vulgaris), among coleoid cephalopods, has evolved the most complex nervous system and sophisticated behaviors. Historically, O. vulgaris was a key animal model for neurophysiology research, and today, it is studied for its genomic innovations. However, unlike...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Relocation & TransportAnimal Type: Cephalopod, Invertebrate

Citation: Maselli, V., Norcia, M., Pinto, B. et al. 2025. Stress induced by fishing in common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) and relative impact on its use as an experimental model. Animals 15(4), 503.

Defending and refining the Birch et al. (2021) precautionary framework for animal sentience (2025)

It is widely accepted that we ought to avoid taking excessive risks of causing gratuitous suffering. The practical implications of this truism, however, depend on how we understand what counts as an excessive risk. Precautionary frameworks help us decide when...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Emotion, Pain, & Sentience, Regulations & Ethical ReviewAnimal Type: Cephalopod, Invertebrate

Citation: Fischer, B., Gottlieb, J., Schnell, A. K. et al. 2025. Defending and refining the Birch et al. (2021) precautionary framework for animal sentience. Animal Welfare 34, e28.

Personality traits of the territorial crustacean Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis): Behavioral adaptations to environmental cues (2025)

Territorial crustaceans exhibit a complex set of personality traits and behavioral characteristics that are critical for their survival, growth, and overall welfare. This study aimed to systematically investigate the interplay between two essential personality traits—boldness and aggression—in Chinese mitten crabs...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Personality, Stocking DensityAnimal Type: Crustacean, Invertebrate

Citation: Fang, P., Sheng, S., Li, Y. et al. 2025. Personality traits of the territorial crustacean Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis): Behavioral adaptations to environmental cues. Animals 15(5), 757.

A history of pain studies and changing attitudes to the welfare of crustaceans (2025)

Early discussions about possible pain in crustaceans often comprised speculation and anecdotes. Experiments to investigate pain took guidance from these early debates, and from studies on other taxa. Many experiments provided data that are consistent with the idea of pain....

Year Published: 2025Topics: Analgesia, Emotion, Pain, & SentienceAnimal Type: Crustacean, Invertebrate

Citation: Elwood, R. W. 2025. A history of pain studies and changing attitudes to the welfare of crustaceans. Animals 15(3), 445.