Cuttlefish are used by humans as food, as a source of ink, and for the cuttlebone, a dietary supplement providing calcium for cage birds. The modern cuttlefish appeared in the Miocene Epoch (which began about 23 million years ago) and is derived from a belemnite-like ancestor. Sepia species feed mainly on crustaceans, small fishes, and each other. The common cuttlefish breeds during spring and summer, producing about 100 to 300 eggs. Their main enemies are large aquatic animals. Cuttlefish inhabit shallow tropical or temperate coastal waters, usually migrating to deeper water in winter.
Morphological studies have shown that cuttlefish brains are large relative to their body size, and behavioral studies have demonstrated that at least one species possesses the ability for self-control in a manner similar to that of intelligent vertebrates. Behavioral studies involving the common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) report that the species can learn to forgo a lower-quality food item (such as a bit of crab or prawn meat), delaying immediate gratification, in order to receive a preferred higher-quality food reward (such as a live shrimp) at a later time.
Diet and habits ;
If cuttlefish are facing predation, they can push a stream of water out from their mantle to quickly propel them away from danger, at the same time making use of their ink sacs to expel a cloud of ink to confuse their attacker.
Cuttlefish live in tropical and temperate latitudes in the ocean and generally live in shallower waters near reefs, seagrass beds, and other productive habitats but not always. Diet & Habitat
Cuttlefish diets vary depending on where in the ocean they live, but they commonly feed on mollusks, shellfish, fish, octopus, worms, and even other cuttlefish. In general, cuttlefish are active and aggressive predators that use their color-changing abilities and movement of their tentacles to mesmerize their prey before grabbing it in a quick flash of movement. Some cuttlefish species can live at depths of nearly 2,000 feet! They are common in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, the North and Baltic seas, and near northwestern Africa. Within the National Marine Sanctuary System, you are most likely to see a cuttlefish in one of the east coast sanctuaries like Stellwagen Bank, Gray’s Reef, and Florida Keys national marine sanctuaries. In some cases, cuttlefish may utilize an ambush strategy where they camouflage themselves, waiting until an unsuspecting morsel swims by and taking the opportunity to quickly grab and eat it. Their natural predators include dolphins, sharks, large fish, seals, seabirds, and other cuttlefish.
Just as varied as their diets are their hunting strategies, which depends on their environment and target prey.
Life history ;
Females hold sperm and eggs in a sac located below her mouth and can somehow choose which male’s sperm she wants to fertilize her eggs. Cuttlefish live short lives, with a maximum life span of one or two years depending on the species. Depending on where they live, reproduction occurs in the spring when waters are an ideal temperature and food is plentiful. During their juvenile phase, they eat small crustaceans and plankton, growing rapidly and reaching their full size and sexual maturity as early as their first winter, with females maturing later than males.
Unlike other cephalopods, cuttlefish can be highly social and frequently interact with conspecifics. Females lay their eggs and attach them to stable structures like grasses, rocks, or corals. Eggs that aren’t swept away by the current or eaten by another animal hatch about 60 days after they are laid. Scientists think their systems of communication are one of the most sophisticated of any marine invertebrate, and the subject of their individual and social intelligence is appealing to researchers who want to understand evolution, adaptation, and behavior in marine animals.
Due to their social nature mating rituals are complex, and with males outnumbering females in most populations, mating season can include displays of deadly aggression between competitive males. Males have also adapted mechanisms to displace the sperm of other males to increase the likelihood of passing on their own genetic material. Mating behavior can include amazing displays of color change, bioluminescence, and even males posing as females to avoid physical confrontations with other males. This social behavior isn’t always positive; cuttlefish are territorial and not afraid to fight other cuttlefish to keep them away. Females may mate with one or many males in a given season, often choosing males who show mental prowess instead of physical strength or size.
Cuttlefish mate in a head-to-head fashion using specialized organs for fertilization. They begin their lives as one of several hundred eggs a female will lay during the spring months. Upon hatching, cuttlefish are miniature versions of their adult form at lengths of only a few millimeters.
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