Cuttlefish Talk

December 2, 2012

A pair of cuttlefish were spotted along the reefs of Singapore’s Pulau Hantu. They were about the same size. Could they be siblings? Or were they individuals from different clutches that find safety by being in a pair? Cuttlefish communicate with each other by using lots of body language – they send signals by changing the colour of their skin, swimming in specific patterns, or distorting their arms in certain ways. Cuttlefish eyes are able to perceive ultraviolet rays, so they see a lot more than we can, or rather, there may be many more signals they are sending to each other than we humans can see with our naked eyes.

We haven’t figured out what they are saying to each other, so we’re only looking in, not listening in. Regardless, it’s still mesmerizing to watch them blend in seamlessly with their environment, moving forwards and back, and turning around like underwater hummingbirds.

Posted in Biology, Videos