Common cuttlefish

Sepia officinalis

The common cuttlefish is a broad-bodied coastal cephalopod with eight arms, two tentacles, and an internal cuttlebone. It hunts over sandy and muddy seabeds in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean.

Not a fish · an aquatic neighbor

Water

Saltwater

Sandy and muddy coastal seabeds from shallow water to the continental shelf.

Temperature

Range not established

A dependable species-specific wild temperature range was not found.

Size

Up to about 49 cm (19 in) mantle length and 4 kg (8.8 lb)

About as long as a large school backpack

Lifespan

Usually about 1–2 years.

Life expectancy varies with place, conditions, and what scientists have been able to observe.

01 · Signature adaptation

What does it do?

It hides in sand during the day and is more active when hunting. Seasonal migrations take it into shallow coastal water for spawning and into deeper water during colder months.

Its superpowerIt can change both color and skin texture to imitate the seafloor.

02 · Home coordinates

Where does it live?

Eastern North Atlantic and Mediterranean waters, including the English Channel, North Sea, and Baltic Sea.

Regions: Eastern Atlantic Ocean · North Sea · English Channel · Mediterranean Sea · Baltic Sea

03 · The menu

What does it eat?

It creeps close to prey and shoots out its two feeding tentacles to seize it.

Carnivore: crabs, shrimp, fish, snails, other mollusks.

04 · Remember this

Two wow facts

Built-in buoyancy

Its cuttlebone is a gas-filled internal structure that helps control buoyancy in the water.

Sources [1] [2]

Ink-colored eggs

Females coat their eggs with ink, giving them a dark, grape-like appearance.

Sources [1]