>One of the arguments most commonly used in defense of shell collecting,
>is that molluscs, with the exeption of the Cephalopods, have rather
>primitive nervous systems so they a) don't really feel "pain" per se,
>and b) are most certainly not self-aware ("sentient") in any sense of
>the concept.  Therefore, killing them for natural-history related
>pursuits is not analagous to say, killing elephants (highly intelligent,
>most definitely sentient life-forms with nervous systems on a par with
>our own) for for hides and tusks or for "trophies" or "sport".  That
>said, many cephalopods definitely ARE intelligent animals with a
>well-developed nervous system: they are not in the same league with
>periwinkles or Donax clams by a long shot!! (sigh - i've just convinced
>myself they shouldn't be collected for anything less than valid
>scientific reasons, and even then, sparingly!!  Good thing my stock of
>this class of Mollusca is VERY small.... it will not be replentished
>now).

Gastropods are not simple animals, and I very much doubt they don't
feel pain just as we do.

Sentience... methinks this is a term normally abused.
Selfawareness... just try to tell me that a pussycat (or a pussacat
ie male) is not selfaware.

Octopods have been shown to be able to learn (eg a sand-dwelling
Indonesian octopus which learns to mimic all sorts of other
lifeforms) and initiate complex new behaviors without being taught,
that is, problem-solving. If they are not highly intelligent, I don't
know what is (dolphins, for instance, are at about dog level).

Squid... probably more instinctive in behavior, but I would think
they are probably about at a level with octopuses or a bit below;
sepiids (cuttlefish) are probably intermediate; having a complex
environment to live in (seabottom) probably requires more
intelligence.

I east squid, and have been known to eat octopus when available.
Octopus is much nicer, but for some reason I'm glad it's not
generally available in NZ.
--
Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin
New Zealand
Fossil preparator
Seashell, Macintosh, VW/Toyota van nut
‚ Opinions stated are mine, not those of Otago University
"There is water at the bottom of the ocean"  - Talking Heads

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