Cuttlefish - Sepia officinalis
Created | Updated Nov 26, 2010
The Sepia officinalis (Common cuttlefish) has a broad and slightly flattened body and can be up to 30cm long. The mouth is surrounded by eight arms.
The Cuttlefish, when startled, can escape by assuming a shape for maximum streamlining and can thrust quickly through the water whilst releasing a cloud on black ink to distract a pursuer.
Cuttlefish have an impressive controll of their colour, superior to chameleons, and can change colour almost instantly to match its surroundings. The Cuttlefish can easily adapt to textured surroundings such as a gravel sea bed and blends perfectly within seconds, to furthur aid the camouflage teh cuttlefish can sink into the sea bed so that only a small oart of it is exposed.
During mating the male Cuttlefish displays zebra stripes in order to warn off competing males and to impress the female. One of the arms on the male cuttlefish is specially adapted to pass a packet of sperm to the female. The female cuttlefish dies soon after laying her eggs and takes no care of her young.
The Cuttlefish is a truly extraordinary species of fish and is considered to be highly intelligent.
The Cuttlefish, when startled, can escape by assuming a shape for maximum streamlining and can thrust quickly through the water whilst releasing a cloud on black ink to distract a pursuer.
Cuttlefish have an impressive controll of their colour, superior to chameleons, and can change colour almost instantly to match its surroundings. The Cuttlefish can easily adapt to textured surroundings such as a gravel sea bed and blends perfectly within seconds, to furthur aid the camouflage teh cuttlefish can sink into the sea bed so that only a small oart of it is exposed.
During mating the male Cuttlefish displays zebra stripes in order to warn off competing males and to impress the female. One of the arms on the male cuttlefish is specially adapted to pass a packet of sperm to the female. The female cuttlefish dies soon after laying her eggs and takes no care of her young.
The Cuttlefish is a truly extraordinary species of fish and is considered to be highly intelligent.
