Details
Sepia officinalis
The common cuttlefish is a cephalopod of Atlantic coasts and nearby open water. It is a solitary carnivore famous for rapid changes in color and pattern.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It uses coastal and shallow ocean habitats, often near sand, seagrass, or structured bottom. These areas provide both cover and abundant prey.
Body length is about 20-45 cm, with weight about 0.5-4 kg. It has a broad body, rippling side fins, and skin that can shift color almost instantly.
It is diurnal and usually solitary. By burying in sand or changing pattern, it hides from predators and approaches prey with precision.
It is carnivorous, taking small fish, shrimp, and crabs. Tentacles shoot forward to seize prey, which is then cut by a strong beak.
During breeding, males compete for access to females. Females attach eggs to seagrass or other structures, and small cuttlefish hatch from them.
Its conservation status is LC. Its intelligence and camouflage make it one of the more distinctive small predators of coastal seafloors.
