Cuttlefish is an ocean animal that resembles a squid. Cuttlefish are mollusks. Mollusks are a group of soft-bodied animals with no bones. There are more than 100 species (kinds) of cuttlefish. They live in most seas except those surrounding the Americas. Cuttlefish usually live on the sea bottom, near the shore.
A cuttlefish has eight short arms and two long tentacles surrounding the mouth. It grows about 2 to 20 inches (5 to 50 centimeters) long, not including the arms and the tentacles. The oval-shaped body is surrounded by a fin used to steer and swim. Cuttlefish also swim by squeezing water through a funnel. This form of jet propulsion enables them to swim quickly. Cuttlefish have an internal shell called the cuttlebone. The chalky cuttlebone reduces the animal’s weight.
Cuttlefish are intelligent animals with excellent vision. Their tentacles help them to catch prey. The tentacles are hidden in pockets behind the eyes. The tentacles shoot out to catch fast-moving prey. Both the arms and the tentacles have suckers. These suckers help cuttlefish to grasp crabs, fish, shrimp, and other prey.
Cuttlefish can change their skin color and patterning in less than a second. This behavior enables them to blend in with their surroundings and to signal other cuttlefish. If threatened, cuttlefish can release an inky substance that helps them to escape.
