Animal category: Invertebrates

Octopus bimaculoides can learn to utilize a mirror to localize a reward outside the line of sight

Mary Kieseler, Marvin R. Maechler, Kelly R. Finn, Carl Harris, Jay Michael Vincelli, Zachary Hoffman, Navneet Dhanoa, Jean Fang, Scott Gies, James McHugh, Julia Valenti, Mira Ram, John O. Fitzgerald, Madison Augusto, David Edelman, Peter U. Tse

Published in 2026

A scientific article showing that octopuses are capable of locating prey that is hidden from their direct view but reflected in a mirror, and of navigating toward these visually hidden locations that are spatially aligned with the location of the reflected prey. These findings extend the ability to use mirrors to invertebrates, demonstrating that cephalopods can use mirror reflections for spatial navigation.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Invertebrates

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Flexible self-protection as evidence of pain-like states in house crickets

Manzi, O., Lynch, K. E., Allman, D. M., Latty, T., White, T. E.

Published in 2026

A scientific article examining the behavioral responses of the house cricket when exposed to a noxious stimulus (a burn on the antenna), a non-painful stimulus (tactile contact on the antenna), or no stimulus at all, under conditions of high or low stress. Grooming behavior was more frequent and lasted longer in response to the painful stimulus than under the other conditions. These results indicate flexible and targeted self-protection, supporting the existence of pain states in Orthoptera.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Invertebrates

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Applying the five domains to the welfare of farmed black soldier flies, house flies, and yellow mealworms

Samuel Olutunde Durosaro, Meghan Barrett

Published in 2025

A study examining the current state of knowledge regarding the welfare of three insects raised for human and animal consumption (black soldier flies, houseflies, and yellow mealworms) based on the five-domain framework (nutrition, physical health, environment, behavior, and mental state).

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Invertebrates

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Do Insects Feel Pain? How Insect Nervous Systems Reveal Hidden Suffering

Renz Soliman

Published in 2026

Summary of recent research showing that some insects have neural mechanisms that enable them to experience pain, including chronic pain. These findings call into question their treatment in research, farming and wider pest control.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Invertebrates

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Review of the evidence of sentience in cephalopod mollusks and decapod crustaceans

Jonathan Birch, Heather Browning, Charlotte Burn, Alexandra K. Schnell, Andrew Crump

Published in 2021

Scientific report describing the cognitive and emotional abilities of invertebrates (insects, cephalopod molluscs, decapod crustaceans, etc.)

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Invertebrates

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