'Cuttle' is a reference to their unique internal shell, the cuttlebone. Despite their name, cuttlefish are not fish but mollusks. A cuttlefish can rapidly change the texture of its skin. This technique is often used to communicate to other cuttlefish during mating rituals, but also helps the cuttlefish hide from predators. If hiding doesn’t work, the cuttlefish can quickly jet away, leaving behind a cloud of foul tasting black ink in the face of its attacker. Cuttlefish are harvested for their meat. Many species of cuttlefish are a valuable part of large-scale commercial fisheries through Asia.
Range
From the Red Sea to Japan and also Australia
Habitat
Shallow waters and reefs to depths of 200m
Diet
Small crustaceans and fish
