Student Profile – Justine J. Allen
Brown Neuroscience / MBL Program in Sensory Physiology and Behavior
I am interested in changeable, adaptive camouflage and study a cephalopod model, the European cuttlefish Sepia officinalis. I am particularly focused on the neurophysiology of this animal’s three-dimensional papillae, elements that allow for dynamic skin texture change, and the visual cues that evoke their expression. Laboratory experiments are complemented by underwater photography and videography, and I am an AAUS certified scientific diver. At the MBL, I am working with Dr. Roger T. Hanlon.
Publications
Allen, J. J., Bell, G. R. R., Kuzirian, A. M., Hanlon, R. T. 2012. Cuttlefish skin papilla morphology suggests a muscular hydrostatic function for rapid changeability. Journal of Morphology. [In Press].
Akkaynak, D., Allen, J. J., Mäthger, L. M., Chiao, C.-C., Hanlon, R. T. 2012. Quantification of cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) camouflage: a study of color and luminance using in situ spectrometry. Journal of Comparative Physiology A. [Epub ahead of print].
Mäthger, L. M., Bell, G. R. R., Kuzirian, A. M., Allen, J. J., Hanlon, R. T. 2012. How does the bule-ringed octopus (Hapalochlaena lunulata) flash its blue rings? Journal of Experimental Biology. 215:3752-3757.
*Barbosa, A., Allen, J. J., Mäthger, L. M., Hanlon, R. T. 2012. Cuttlefish use visual cues to determine arm postures for camouflage. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 279:84-90.
Akkaynak, D., Chan, E., Allen, J. J., and Hanlon, R. T. 2011. Using spectrometry and photography to study color underwater. Oceans ’11 IEEE Conference Proceedings.
Buresch, K. C., Mäthger, L. M., Allen, J. J., Bennice, C., Smith, N., Schram, J., Chiao, C.-C., Chubb, C., Hanlon, R. T. 2011. The use of background matching vs. masquerade for camouflage in cuttlefish Sepia officinalis. Vision Research 51:2362-2368.
Hanlon, R. T., Chiao C.-C., Mäthger, L. M., Buresch, K. C., Barbosa, A., Allen, J. J., Siemann L., and Chubb C. 2011. Rapid adaptive camouflage in cephalopods. In Animal Camouflage: Mechanisms and Functions. (M. Stevens, and S. Merilaita, eds.), pp. 145-163. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, U.K.
Chiao, C.-C., Wickiser, J. K., Allen, J. J., Genter, B., Hanlon, R. T. 2011 Hyperspectral imaging of cuttlefish camouflage indicates good color match in the eyes of fish predators. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 108:9148-9153
*Allen, J. J., Mäthger, L. M., Buresch, K. C., Fetchko, T., Gardner, M., Hanlon R. T. 2010 Night vision by cuttlefish enables changeable camouflage. Journal of Experimental Biology 213:3953-3960.
Chiao, C.-C., Chubb, C., Buresch, K. C., Barbosa, A., Allen, J. J., Mäthger, L. M., Hanlon, R. T. 2010 Mottle camouflage patterns in cuttlefish: quantitative characterization and visual background stimuli that evoke them. Journal of Experimental Biology 213:187-199.
Allen, J. J., Mäthger, L. M., Barbosa, A., Buresch, K. C., Sogin, E., Schwartz, J., Chubb, C., Hanlon, R. T. 2009 Cuttlefish dynamic camouflage: responses to substrate choice and integration of multiple visual cues. Proceedings of the Royal Society B [Epub ahead of print].
Allen, J. J., Mäthger, L. M., Barbosa, A., Hanlon, R. T. 2009 Cuttlefish use visual cues to control three-dimensional skin papillae for camouflage. Journal of Comparative Physiology A 195:547-555.
*Indicates papers with two first authors.
Honors:
New England Society for Microscopy
Sigma Xi, Scientific Research Society
Funding:
National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship (NDSEG)
2010-2013 Fellow
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP)
2010 Awardee (on reserve)
