Researchers discovered that longfin squid become aggressive upon touching recently laid eggs. This information was discovered when calm male longfin squid started attacking each other in the presence of recently laid egg capsules. Female longfin squid lay about twenty to thirty capsules throughout a period of several weeks, each containing one hundred and fifty to two hundred eggs. During this time period, the female squid mate with several different male squid. Scientists began to notice that when the capsules were laid on the ocean floor, the male squid would swim towards them and wrap their arms around the eggs. Finding this behavior unordinary, the scientist team performed an experiment with fifty seven pairs of male squid with egg capsules and observed the actions. Upon touching the capsules during the experiment, the squid went from calm to aggressive and attacking each other within seconds, even in the absence of female squid. In order to determine what exactly was causing this behavior in the male squid, researchers chemically analyzed the surface of the egg capsules and found the several proteins that the surface of the capsules contained. These scientists figured that one of the proteins must be acting as a pheromone, attracting the males to the egg capsules. Thus, several flasks containing eggs were dropped into the squid tank one at a time, coated with a different protein each time. The sight of the eggs attracted the male squid to the flask and the scientists were able to record behaviors of these squid upon their touching the flasks. The experiment showed that the protein β-microseminoprotein was the one causing the male squid's aggressive behavior. The pheromone, according to the researchers, causes the longfin male squid to attack each other in order to prove to the female longfin squid which males are the strongest and therefore, best mating partners. This experiment and research has lead scientists to look into similar proteins in mammals to see if there are behavior similarities in mammals as well, specifically human beings.
This study has lead researchers to look further into the proteins contained within the semen of mammals to determine whether or not human beings or any mammals for that matter display similar behaviors when in contact with specific proteins. Current research shows that there are in fact microseminoproteins present within in mammal semen; however, the functional effect of these proteins has not been determined yet. Thus, experiments such as these are applicable to today because scientists can better understand human nature and why men and women act the way they do in certain situations. This research could help determine specific biological evidence as to why human beings make some decisions or act certain ways.
This article is interesting because animals as simple as squid behave completely abnormally because of something as tiny as a protein. Squid have territorial actions based upon simple pheromones in order to prove that they are the strongest mating partners of all other male squid. Questions arise based upon this experiment because it makes scientists wonder if humans act unnaturally or differently based upon proteins or pheromones that are present without our knowledge. The possibility that there may be pheromones that spike emotions in human beings or other mammals once present within the environment is now questioned by researchers. It will be interesting to see what researchers will do with proteins similar to the one found on squid egg capsules if any are found to have similar effects upon human beings.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/02/110211-squid-pheromones-fighting-mating-woods-hole-animals-science/
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