Cuttlefish

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Latin name – Sepia officinalis
Size – up to 45cm long
Habitat – depths of up to 200m

Cuttlefish are related to the octopus and squid that live in our seas today and also to the extinct ammonites and belemnites of the past. The cuttlefish bone which can be commonly found on the beach is the animal’s internal skeleton and aids buoyancy. The cuttlefish itself is found in deeper water and is a perfect predator using its excellent vision and suckered tentacles to catch its prey. Its diet consists of animals like crabs, prawns and fish.

Cuttlefish

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Cuttlefish are very intelligent. Their brain is much bigger than other invertebrates. Amazingly, they can change their colour for camouflage and can also produce ink to confuse predators. Photo by Gerrit Huurman