Sentience in decapod crustaceans: A general framework and review of the evidence. Animal Sentience 32(1)

Crump, Andrew; Browning, Heather; Schnell, Alexandra; Burn, Charlotte; Birch, Jonathan

Abstract

We outline a framework for evaluating scientific evidence of sentience, focusing on pain experience. It includes eight neural and cognitive-behavioural criteria, with confidence levels for each criterion reflecting the reliability and quality of the evidence. We outline the rationale for each criterion and apply our framework to a controversial sentience candidate: decapod crustaceans. We have either high or very high confidence that true crabs (infraorder Brachyura) satisfy five criteria, amounting to strong evidence of sentience. Moreover, we have high confidence that both anomuran crabs (infraorder Anomura) and astacid lobsters/crayfish (infraorder Astacidea) meet three criteria—substantial evidence of sentience. The case is, as yet, weaker for other infraorders, such as penaeid shrimps, highlighting important research gaps. Having demonstrated our framework’s application to decapod crustaceans, we hope that future research will apply it to other taxa.

Citation

Crump, A., Browning, H., Schnell, A., Burn, C., & Birch, J. (2022). Sentience in decapod crustaceans: A general framework and review of the evidence. Animal Sentience 32(1). Animal Sentience, 32, Article 407. https://doi.org/10.51291/2377-7478.1691

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 27, 2022
• Online Publication Date: May 27, 2022
• Publication Date: May 27, 2022
• Deposit Date: Jul 19, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 27, 2022
• Journal: Animal Sentience
• Publisher: Wellbeing International
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 32
• Article Number: 407
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.51291/2377-7478.1691
• Keywords: Animal sentience; Animal Welfare; Crustaceans; Invertebrates; Seafood