The aim of this
page is to describe the construction
and use of a graphic model to
express ‘squiddish’, visual skin
displays in reef squid Sepioteuthis
sepioidea.
The model was
created and refined as a result of a
field study off the Caribbean island,
Bonaire. The original idea was to
draw the graphics for this species’
patterns and displays for an
ethogram. Then things got out of
hand…
Squid communication is composed of visual
units
and
components on their body as well as arm
postures. The color components and reflective units
can be turned on and off and are grouped together
for complex inter- and intraspecific communication.
Like squid skin patterns, our graphic model
is composed of components. It was created in Adobe
PhotoShop®
and consists of a dorsal and a lateral
frame
of a squid. These two shapes can be filled with
background
colors and overlaying units and
components for displays. Additionally, postures can
be changed by turning combinations of multiple
layers in the PhotoShop®
program on and off.
This model demonstrates an assortment of
intraspecific displays of S. sepioidea, including
variations in patterns between males and females and
across different age groups, as well as
interspecific displays such as camouflage patterns.
Adobe PhotoShop®
was used to create the graphic model as it
has the very useful feature of ‘layers’, which
function like the overlay technique with overhead
transparencies. To avoid misunderstandings, it is
necessary to mention that the layers in Adobe
PhotoShop® are not
arranged like the layers of different cell types in
the cephalopod skin. However, the arrangement of the
model is similar to the arrangement of specific
background colors which are overlaid by units and
components adding up to patterns and displays. |
