Cuttlefish Couple

January 28, 2014

A pair of reef cuttlefish in the shallow and murky waters of Singapore’s Kusu Island. These animals were in a coloration and posture that is less commonly observed. I wonder what they might have been up to. They were also really really huge. The biggest I’ve seen around here.

Cuttlefish are relatives of squid and octopuses. Despite their name, cuttlefish are not fish but mollusks. ‘Cuttle’ is a reference to their unique internal shell, the cuttlebone.

Cuttlefish eat small mollusks, crabs, shrimp, fish, octopuses, worms, and other cuttlefish. Their predators include dolphins, sharks, fish, seals, seabirds, and other cuttlefish. Their life expectancy is about one to two years. Recent studies indicate cuttlefish are among the most intelligent invertebrates. Cuttlefish also have one of the largest brain-to-body size ratios of all invertebrates. [Source]

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