Surveying Noctural Cuttlefish Camouflage Behaviour using an AUV

Stefan B. Williams*, Oscar Pizarro, Martin How, Duncan Mercer, George Powell, Justin Marshall, Roger Hanlon

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference Contribution (Conference Proceeding)

25 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This paper describes a recent study in which an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) with a high resolution stereo-imaging system was used to document nocturnal camouflage behaviour in cuttlefish at a well known spawning site in Whyalla, South Australia. The AUV's ability to fly at low altitude during day and night while closely following a desired survey pattern provided improved data collection compared to divers and previous work with a small ROV. Over the course of the week long expedition, the AUV Sirius was deployed on 38 dives at three sites in the survey area and collected tens of thousands of stereo images. Of these, nearly a thousand were seen to contain cuttlefish during post cruise analysis, with a large proportion showing evidence of camouflage. The distribution of images containing cuttlefish suggest that the animal concentrations were substantially higher closer in to shore in shallow waters, where the flat rocky substrate occurs; females lay their eggs on the underside of these rocks. Results demonstrate the strengths of using an AUV for surveying near-shore benthic habitats of ecological interest, with a particular emphasis on the ability to operate during both day and night time operations.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication2009 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA)
Subtitle of host publicationProceedings of a meeting held 12-17 May 2009, Kobe, Japan
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Pages4352-4357
Number of pages6
ISBN (Electronic)9781424427895
ISBN (Print)9781424427888
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Aug 2009
EventIEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation - Kobe, Japan
Duration: 12 May 200917 May 2009

Publication series

NameProceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA)
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
ISSN (Print)1050-4729

Conference

ConferenceIEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation
Country/TerritoryJapan
Period12/05/0917/05/09

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