SCIENCE IN PICS: Flamboyant Cuttlefish

Flamboyant cuttlefish, Metasepia pfefferi, are a striking species of cephalopod with beautiful markings and colors found in the tropical Indo-Pacific.

They have eight blade-like arms, each with four rows of suckers, and they prey on small shrimp and fish by striking out rapidly with a pair of feeding tentacles.

They are typically found crawling across rubble and sand, and can change the patterns and colors of their skin to match their surroundings and also to communicate, for example by issuing a display when threatened.

These incredible changes are achieved using three types of structures in the skin, chromatophores, leucophores, and iridophores, which contain colored ink and can be quickly expanded and contracted, to alter the skin’s texture and color.

The muscle tissue of this species is highly toxic, which is very rare in cephalopods, and the toxin is as lethal as that of the blue-ringed octopus.

You can see a flamboyant cuttlefish hunting with its tentacle clubs and changing colors in this video.

Matthew Oldfield is a freelance photographer based in Bali, Indonesia, specializing in editorial and documentary images from both above and below the waves. He works primarily with charities, NGO’s, and other organizations working to conserve the environment, endangered species, and disappearing cultures.

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