Flamboyant Cuttlefish

ocean · color-changer · tropical seas · cephalopod

Amazing color shifts. The flamboyant cuttlefish can change colors and patterns in seconds to show off, hide, or talk to other cuttlefish. Its skin has special cells called chromatophores that squeeze and stretch to create different hues and designs.

Tropical ocean home. You'll find this incredible creature in warm waters around northern Australia, New Guinea, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia. It lives on the ocean floor where it hunts for small prey among rocks and seaweed.

Small but fierce. Despite its impressive looks, the flamboyant cuttlefish is quite tiny and weighs only a few ounces. But it's a confident hunter that eats crustaceans and small fish using its tentacles to grab food.

Super smart mollusc. Cuttlefish are among the smartest invertebrates in the ocean, and the flamboyant cuttlefish is no exception. It can solve problems, recognize objects, and remember where to find food.

Toxic defense trick. This cuttlefish carries a poison similar to that of blue-ringed octopuses, which keeps predators away. Scientists still study how it produces and uses this deadly defense without harming itself.