Ryan Photographic - Sepiidae - Cuttlefish
Family Sepiidae
The family Sepiidae contains 119 species in three genera. Commonly known as cuttlefish they are found in all the world's oceans except the Americas where they are curiously absent. They are all characterized by their possession of cuttlebone which aids them in buoyancy control and parrots in keeping their beaks in shape.
Cuttlefish have the highest brain to body weight ratio amongst the cephalopods. They are capable of extraordinary color changes and can wrinkle their skin to match surroundings. One, the tiny flamboyant cuttlefish (see below), has toxic venom. The Wikipedia article about them is excellent and if want more information I direct you there.
I saw my first broadclub cuttlefish in Fiji. It was in a few metres of water and it attracted my attention when it left the bottom and came to my eye level. It flashed bands of color at me and held its tentacles clumped together above its head in the "cockatoo" position. I moved closer and it just stayed there. Totally entranced, I very carefully extended my finger towards it. The cuttlefish unfurled one tentacle and sent it out towards me, gently attaching it to my fingertip. We stayed like that until I became short of air, the whole while the cuttlefish flashed a kaleidoscope of colors at me. It was reminiscent of that memorable scene in the movie E.T. Later I did a pen and ink drawing of the scene for one of my Fiji Times articles. I never got the original back so this is a rough scan of a newspaper clipping. That encounter still ranks as one of my most extraordinary in a life time of seeking out such experiences.
Metasepia pfefferi Flamboyant cuttlefish
Metasepia pfefferi, Flamboyant cuttlefish, Lembeh Straits IMG_6677
Metasepia pfefferi, Flamboyant cuttlefish, Lembeh Straits IMG_6677
Metasepia pfefferi, flamboyant cuttlefish, Lembeh Straits IMG_6681
Click below for a brief video of the flamboyant cuttlefish
Sepia aculeata? Needle cuttlefish
Sepia aculeata? Needle cuttlefish, Kri Eco, Raja Ampat IMG_7762
Sepia aculeata? Needle cuttlefish, Kri Eco, Raja Ampat IMG_7763
Sepia aculeata? Needle cuttlefish, Kri Eco, Raja Ampat IMG_7764
Sepia latimanus Broadclub cuttlefish
Sepia latimanus Broadclub cuttlefish Kri Eco Raja Ampat IMG_1130
Sepia latimanus, Broadclub cuttlefish. This guy was only about 5cm long. Lembeh Strait, IMG_6270
The same guy as above - trying on a darker shade, Lembeh Straits IMG_6272
Nope, didn't like that shade, back again a second or so later. Sepia latimanus Broadclub cuttlefish juvenile Lembeh Straits IMG_6273
Sepia latimanus Broadclub cuttlefish juvenile, Lembeh Straits IMG_6283
Sepia latimanus Broadclub cuttlefish, Lembeh Straits, hiding by a leaf. IMG_6594
Sepia papuensis? Papuan cuttlefish
 Raja Ampat IMG_9822 med res.jpg)
Sepia papuensis (maybe) Papuan cuttlefish Raja Ampat IMG_9822