Animal of the Day: Cuttlefish!

Cuttlefish get their name from their internal shell, the cuttle bone. Cuttle, in Old Norse, is thought to mean "cushion". They are cephalapods, related to the squit and octopus, and are a mollusc not a fish. They have w shaped pupils, eight arms, and to two tentacles. They are usually 5 to 9 inches long but the largest species can reach 20 inches.

Cuttlefish eat crabs, molluscs, worms, and other cuttlefish. They have many predators such as the dolphin and shark, so their life expectancy is short, but they are one of the most intellegent invertebrates. They have one of the largest brain to body size ratios.

The greeks and romans of old valued the unique brown pigment that cuttlefish excreet when panicked.

Cuttlefish have green blood, three hearts, and can change color. The bones of cuttlefish are filled with gas to help keep them buoyant. One species of cuttlefish has poisonous fish. Their w shaped eyes are one of the most well developed eyes of all and can change shape to focus. They also have eyes in the back of their head and can see behind them.