Flamboyant Cuttlefish

ID points

• Waves of purple-red, yellow and white light roll across the skin
• Walks on the bottom on two arms and two muscular flaps rather than swimming
• The only cuttlefish known to have toxic muscle tissue

Basics

Family

Sepiidae

Length

6–8 cm

Depth

3-86 m

Regions

Indo-Pacific reefs

Distribution

Shallow sand and mud from Indonesia to northern Australia

Habitat

Shallow sand and mud bottoms

Diet

Shrimp, small fish

Easily confused with

CuttlefishA wavy skirt-like fin running around both sides of the bodyBlue-ringed OctopusElectric blue rings flare over the whole body when it is provokedWeedy SeadragonRed-purple ground covered with yellow spots and fine silvery white bars

Fun fact

Only about 8 cm long, it sends pulses of intense purple, red and yellow rippling across its skin. It is the only cuttlefish known to be poisonous, with muscle tissue containing a toxin similar to that of pufferfish. Rather than swim, it walks along the seabed on its arms.