AOTW #4: Flamboyant Cuttlefish

Flamboyant -

–adjective

1. strikingly bold or brilliant; showy: flamboyant colors.

2. conspicuously dashing and colorful: the flamboyant idol ofinternational society.

3. florid; ornate; elaborately styled: flamboyant speeches.


A fitting name for this appealing cephalopod, the word flamboyant means literally "flaming" in French. Take a look at the animal which has surely earned its name: Pfeffer's Flamboyant Cuttlefish (Metasepia pfefferi) 
This colorful animal is a species of cuttlefish, which belong to the order Sepiida, within the Cephalopoda class. Other than its surprising and flamboyant (hence its name) coloration and skin protrusions, M. pfefferi is not so different than other cuttlefishes.

Cuttlefishes, including M. pfefferi, are a group of reef-dwelling cephalopods which are very well distributed around the world. M. pfefferi in specific is native to the coasts of Australia, New Guinea, Indonesia, and Malaysia. The main characteristic which sets cuttlefishes apart from most cephalopods (octopi, squid, nautilus) is that they swim head-first, instead of abdomen first.

Another interesting fact about the cuttlefish is that it has something called a cuttlebone in its abdomen, which looks similar to a mango seed if you cut all the fruit off. This organ is used as a sort of flotation device, and can be filled with air or fluids when it wants to either float up or descend deeper into the water. You might remember a similar buoyancy system in my first AOTW, the nautilus. The cuttlebone is often placed in bird cages for something to chew and stand on so that the birds' beaks and talons don't get too long or sharp.

Like most cuttlefish, M. pfefferi feeds on small crustaceans (i.e. shrimp, small crabs) and fish. They capture their prey using their 8 arms and 2 longer tentacles (which have suction cup-type organs typical of cephalopods).

Thank you for reading!