Monday, April 9, 2012


Want to Cuttle?

Probably one of the coolest creatures I have ever seen. The cuttlefish is the perfect mix between a squid, octopus and some extraterrestrial. This marine invertebrate has eight arms and two tentacles. It also has a stunning pair of eyes and an internal shell (kind of an oxymoron) called the cuttlebone. Hence the name "cuttlefish". This almost gelatinous cephalopod has no defense mechanism other then it's ink and ability to squeeze into tight crevices in coral. Oh, I almost forgot! It has the ability to camouflage. When I say camouflage I really mean it. They have pigments in their skin called chromatofores and another layer of reflective pigment allowing them to camouflage into almost any color. The cuttlefish also has the capability to change the texture of it's skin to adjust to it's surroundings. Unlike most animals who use camouflage, the cuttlefish can change color in the blink of an eye. However, the cuttlefish is colorblind. The answer to how it manipulates it's skin color without seeing colors is still unknown. If I could have one super power it would most definitely be the ability to camouflage like a cuttlefish. Kind of like this guy ^. Overall, they're awesome creatures of the sea. I must admit, they're pretty tasty too.  http://bushraismail.hubpages.com/hub/hot-butter-cuttlefish
 Check out the video in the link below of cuttlefish using their camouflage techniques.