Flamboyant Cuttlefish
Metasepia pfefferi
Flamboyant cuttlefish can be found in the Tropical indo-pacific area. They are unique creatures that are in fact distantly related to clams. Despite its name, it is not a fish, it is a cephalopod, closely related to the octopus.
Credit: Robin Riggs
SPECIES IN DETAIL
Flamboyant Cuttlefish
Metasepia pfefferi
CONSERVATION STATUS: Data deficient
CLIMATE CHANGE: Vulnerable
At the Aquarium
Jewels of the Pacific exhibit in the Tropical Pacific Gallery.
Geographic Distribution
Australia (Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland) to Papua, New Guinea (Papua New Guinea (main island group))
Habitat
Flamboyant cuttlefish inhabit sand and mud substrates in tropical waters as deep as 3-86 meters (9-282 ft) from Indonesia; through Papua to Australia.
Physical Characteristics
The flamboyant cuttlefish has eight arms and two tentacles. They are joined together to make limbs that visually represent legs and can be used to “walk” on the seafloor. Their colorings are vibrant and can pulse with different colors. They use the ability to change colors to mimic less tasty animals as a camouflage method against predators or as a warning that they are poisonous.
Size
2.4 in. (6 cm.) to 3.1 in. (8 cm) long
Diet
The diet of flamboyant cuttlefish consists of crustaceans and small invertebrates that are caught with their specialized tentacles.
Reproduction
Reproduction with a cuttlefish occurs face to face. The male uses its specialized arm, called the hectocotylus arm, to transfer a sperm packet to the female where internal fertilization occurs. As the white round eggs become clear they are laid one at a time in cracks and crevices in coral, rock, or wood to protect them; a female can lay from five to twenty-five eggs at a time. Once the cuttlefish has hatched, the female dies and there is no parental care.
Behavior
Flamboyant cuttlefish are active during the day. However, they are not good swimmers so they “walk” on the seafloor using their arms. When confronted by a predator these animals change their colors to alert their predators that they are poisonous.
Adaptation
The flamboyant cuttlefish can change the color of its skin using chromatophores. In addition, this cuttlefish can change its texture and shape. Another great adaptation is the poisonous toxins that are inside their tissue in case they are eaten. Lastly, flamboyant cuttlefish also have advanced eyes that aid the cuttlefish in detecting prey and predators from afar.
Longevity
The life span of flamboyant cuttlefish is estimated to be between 18 to 24 months.
Conservation
Pollution, overfishing and habitat destruction pose serious threats to these animals. Habitat loss, bottom trawling and saltation(the movement of sand on the seafloor) are also threatening the flamboyant cuttlefish and other sea floor animals.
Special Notes
Cuttlebone is composed mainly of calcium which is often fed to baby birds by their parents as a calcium supplement,or sharpening beaks.
Flamboyant cuttlefish display bright colors to alert their predators that they are poisonous
SPECIES IN DETAIL | Print full entry
Flamboyant Cuttlefish
Metasepia pfefferi
CONSERVATION STATUS: Data deficient
CLIMATE CHANGE: Vulnerable
Jewels of the Pacific exhibit in the Tropical Pacific Gallery.
Australia (Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland) to Papua, New Guinea (Papua New Guinea (main island group))
Flamboyant cuttlefish inhabit sand and mud substrates in tropical waters as deep as 3-86 meters (9-282 ft) from Indonesia; through Papua to Australia.
The flamboyant cuttlefish has eight arms and two tentacles. They are joined together to make limbs that visually represent legs and can be used to “walk” on the seafloor. Their colorings are vibrant and can pulse with different colors. They use the ability to change colors to mimic less tasty animals as a camouflage method against predators or as a warning that they are poisonous.
2.4 in. (6 cm.) to 3.1 in. (8 cm) long
The diet of flamboyant cuttlefish consists of crustaceans and small invertebrates that are caught with their specialized tentacles.
Reproduction with a cuttlefish occurs face to face. The male uses its specialized arm, called the hectocotylus arm, to transfer a sperm packet to the female where internal fertilization occurs. As the white round eggs become clear they are laid one at a time in cracks and crevices in coral, rock, or wood to protect them; a female can lay from five to twenty-five eggs at a time. Once the cuttlefish has hatched, the female dies and there is no parental care.
Flamboyant cuttlefish are active during the day. However, they are not good swimmers so they “walk” on the seafloor using their arms. When confronted by a predator these animals change their colors to alert their predators that they are poisonous.
The flamboyant cuttlefish can change the color of its skin using chromatophores. In addition, this cuttlefish can change its texture and shape. Another great adaptation is the poisonous toxins that are inside their tissue in case they are eaten. Lastly, flamboyant cuttlefish also have advanced eyes that aid the cuttlefish in detecting prey and predators from afar.
The life span of flamboyant cuttlefish is estimated to be between 18 to 24 months.
Pollution, overfishing and habitat destruction pose serious threats to these animals. Habitat loss, bottom trawling and saltation(the movement of sand on the seafloor) are also threatening the flamboyant cuttlefish and other sea floor animals.
Cuttlebone is composed mainly of calcium which is often fed to baby birds by their parents as a calcium supplement,or sharpening beaks.
Flamboyant cuttlefish display bright colors to alert their predators that they are poisonous