View source for Common cuttlefish

{{Short description|Species of cephalopod}}
{{About|the European common cuttlefish|the South African common cuttlefish|Sepia vermiculata}}
{{Speciesbox
| image =  Sepia común (Sepia officinalis), Parque natural de la Arrábida, Portugal, 2020-07-21, DD 62.jpg
| image_caption = Common cuttlefish in [[Arrábida Natural Park]], Portugal
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref =<ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=Barratt, I. |author2=Allcock, L. |date=2012 |title=''Sepia officinalis'' |volume=2012 |page=e.T162664A939991 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012-1.RLTS.T162664A939991.en |access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref>
| genus = Sepia
| parent = Sepia (Sepia)
| species = officinalis
| authority = [[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], [[10th edition of Systema Naturae|1758]]
| synonyms = *''Sepia rugosa'' <small>[[Thomas Edward Bowdich|Bowdich]], 1822</small>
*''Sepia vicellius'' <small>Gray, 1849</small>
*''Sepia zebrina'' <small>Risso, 1854</small>
*''Sepia filliouxi'' <small>Lafont, 1869</small>
*?''Sepia fischeri'' <small>Lafont, 1871</small>
*''Sepia officinalis mediterranea'' <small>Ninni, 1884</small>
*?''Sepia veranyi'' <small>P. Fischer ''in'' Lagatu, 1888</small>
}}
The '''common cuttlefish''' or '''European common cuttlefish''' (''Sepia officinalis'') is one of the largest and best-known [[cuttlefish]] species. They are a migratory species that spend the summer and spring inshore for spawning and then move to depths of {{convert|100|-|200|m}} during autumn and winter.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|last1=Compton|first1=A|last2=Wiley|first2=L|title=''Sepia officinalis''|url=http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Sepia_officinalis/|website=Animal Diversity Web|access-date=20 March 2018}}</ref> They grow to {{convert|49|cm}} in [[mantle (mollusc)|mantle]] length and {{convert|4|kg}} in weight.<ref>Reid, A., P. Jereb, & C.F.E. Roper (2005). "Family Sepiidae". In P. Jereb & C.F.E. Roper, eds. [https://www.fao.org/documents/card/en?details=bab682f4-2346-5bf1-89d7-94f276279a36/ ''Cephalopods of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of species known to date. Volume 1. Chambered nautiluses and sepioids (Nautilidae, Sepiidae, Sepiolidae, Sepiadariidae, Idiosepiidae and Spirulidae)'']. FAO Species Catalogue for Fishery Purposes. No. 4, Vol. 1. Rome, FAO. pp. 57–152.</ref> Animals from subtropical seas are smaller and rarely exceed {{convert|30|cm}} in mantle length.<ref>Roper C.F.E., M.J. Sweeney & C.E. Nauen (1984). [https://www.fao.org/documents/card/en?details=6d398e2d-abf1-57f1-91d5-664b06874ee6 ''Cephalopods of the world'']. Food and Agriculture Organization, Rome, Italy. Vol. 3, p. 277.</ref>

The common cuttlefish is native to at least the [[Mediterranean Sea]], [[North Sea]], and [[Baltic Sea]], although subspecies have been proposed as far south as [[South Africa]]. It lives on sand and mud seabeds and it can tolerate brackish water conditions.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V7cXAQAAIAAJ |page=798 |title=Marine Atlas: The Joint Aquarium Care of Invertebrates and Tropical Marine Fishes |volume=3 |author=Helmut Debelius |publisher=Mergus |year=1994|isbn=9783882440553 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Ecology Summary - ''Sepia officinalis'' |work=sealifebase.ca |date= |access-date=10 December 2023 |url= https://www.sealifebase.ca/Ecology/FishEcologySummary.php?StockCode=3953&GenusName=Sepia&SpeciesName=officinalis}}</ref>

==Taxonomy==
It is unknown where the [[type specimen]] of ''S. officinalis'' was collected, as the location is given simply as "Oceano". It is deposited in the [[Linnean Society of London]].<ref>[http://www.mnh.si.edu/cephs/newclass.pdf Current Classification of Recent Cephalopoda]</ref>

''Sepia officinalis jurujubai'' <small>Oliveira, 1940</small>, originally described as a [[subspecies]] of the common cuttlefish,  is a [[junior synonym]] of ''[[Sepioteuthis sepioidea]]''.<ref>Adam, W. & W.J. Rees. 1966.  A Review of the Cephalopod Family Sepiidae. ''John Murray Expedition 1933–34, Scientific Reports'' '''11'''(1): 1–165, 46 plates.</ref>

==Description==
[[File:Cuttlebone.jpg|left|thumb|The [[cuttlebone]] of a cuttlefish. This is the largest [[Biomineralization|hard part]] of a cuttlefish, maintaining the rigidity of its body.]]

The common cuttlefish is one of the largest species of cuttlefish with a [[mantle length]] reaching up to 45&nbsp;cm and a [[mass]] of 4 kg on a presumed male, although this is for an exceptional specimen in temperate waters; specimens in subtropical waters rarely surpass a mantle length of 30 cm and 2 kg in mass. The mantle houses the reproductive and digestive tracts of the cuttlefish and is also home to an internal shell called the [[cuttlebone]], located on the [[dorsal side]] of the animal.<ref name=":0" /> The common cuttlefish has two highly developed eyes, eight arms which are located around the mouth and are used to hold and manipulate prey, two specialized [[Tentacle|feeding tentacles]] which are used to [[Ambush predator|ambush]] prey, and a [[Cephalopod beak|beak]] housing a [[radula]] used in [[eating|breaking down and consuming]] their (often armored) prey.<ref name=":1" /> Cuttlefish move by undulating fins on the periphery of their mantle, but when startled they often jet away using a [[Siphon (mollusc)|siphon]], [[cephalopod ink|inking in the process]].

Cuttlefish are well known for their unmatched [[Camouflage|camouflaging]] abilities which are possible due a variety of specialized cells; pigmented [[chromatophore]] organs, light scattering leucophores, and structurally reflecting iridophores in their [[skin]] work in concert to conceal the cuttlefish in its environment.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Mäthger |first1=L.M. |last2=Chiao |first2=C.C. |last3=Barbosa |first3=A. |last4=Hanlon |first4=R.T. |date=March 2008 |title=Color matching on natural substrates in cuttlefish, ''Sepia officinalis'' |journal=Journal of Comparative Physiology |volume=194 |issue=6 |pages=577–585 |doi=10.1007/s00359-008-0332-4 |pmid=18414874|s2cid=25111630 }}</ref> They not only are able to swiftly change their colour and patterns, but can also use peripheral [[muscles]] to change the [[Surface texture|texture]] of their skin. Their camouflaging abilities are categorized into four main types including mottle, stipple, uniform, and disruptive.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Kelman |first1=E.J. |last2=Baddeley |first2=R.J. |last3=Shohet |first3=A.J. |last4=Osorio |first4=D. |year=2007 |title=Perception of visual texture and the expression of disruptive camouflage by the cuttlefish, ''Sepia officinalis'' |journal=Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences |volume=274 |issue=1616 |pages=1369–1375 |pmc=2176201 |doi=10.1098/rspb.2007.0240 |pmid=17389219}}</ref> Cuttlefish possess these camouflaging abilities from before hatching; a cuttlefish can visibly manipulate its chromatophores from within its clear-membraned egg.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Hanlon |first1=R.T. |last2=Messenger |first2=J.B. |year=1988 |title=Adaptive coloration in young cuttlefish (''Sepia officinalis'' L.): The morphology and development of body patterns and their relation to behaviour |journal=Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B |volume=320 |issue=1200 |pages=437–487 |doi=10.1098/rstb.1988.0087|bibcode=1988RSPTB.320..437H |doi-access=free }}</ref>

==Ecology==
[[File:Sepia officinalis (aquarium).jpg|thumb|left|200px|The common cuttlefish is [[Shallow water marine environment|shallow water]] [[Demersal zone|demersal]], [[Ambush predator|ambush-hunting]] [[Coleoidea|coleoid]].]]
===Diet===
During the day, most cuttlefish can be found buried below the substrate and fairly inactive. At night however, they are actively searching for prey and can ambush them from under the substrate.{{fact|date=October 2023}} Cuttlefish are carnivorous and eat a variety of organisms including crustaceans ([[crab]]s and [[shrimp]]), small demersal fish, molluscs ([[clam]]s and [[Sea snail|snail]]s), and sometimes [[cannibalism|other cuttlefish]] which is more commonly seen when the abundance of other prey is low.<ref name=":1" />

A 2008 study on ''S. officinalis''<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Darmaillacq | first1 = Anne-Sophie | last2 = Lesimple | first2 = Clemence | last3 = Dickel | first3 = Ludovic | year = 2008 | title = Embryonic visual learning in the cuttlefish, ''Sepia officinalis'' | journal = Animal Behaviour | volume = 76 | pages = 131–134 | doi=10.1016/j.anbehav.2008.02.006| s2cid = 53147763 }}</ref> revealed that cuttlefish embryos, if visually exposed to a certain species of prey (e.g. [[crab]]s), will hunt primarily for that prey in later life. ''S. officinalis'' usually prefer shrimp to crabs, but when the embryos were exposed to crabs and the embryos had hatched, the young cuttlefish switched preferences and proceeded to hunt the crabs more often than the shrimp.<ref>Walker, M. (June 5, 2008). [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7435757.stm Cuttlefish spot target prey early]. ''BBC News''.</ref>

===Life history===
[[File:Cuttlefishbreeding.jpg|thumb|200px|The male cuttlefish (right) solicits the female for [[reproduction|mating]].]]
Cuttlefish reach sexual maturity between 14 and 18 months of age. During breeding season, which occurs during spring, summer, and sometimes early autumn, large gatherings of male cuttlefish will [[Courtship display|display]] a highly [[Complementary colors|contrasting]] black and white [[Stripe (pattern)|zebra pattern]] on their mantle to attract females and females will display a uniform grey colour to indicate they are ready to mate. Cuttlefish males carry up to 1400 [[spermatophore]]s to the female and the female carries between 150 and 4000 eggs depending on her body mass. The female attaches the egg mass to seaweed, shells, or other substrates to prevent it from drifting away; the eggs incubate for 30 or 90 days, depending on temperature, until they hatch into miniature versions of the adults. Cuttlefish live up to 2 years of age; a [[Semelparity and iteroparity#Semelparity|large number of them die after spawning]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021" /><ref name="fao_2711">{{cite web |title=Species Fact Sheets ''Sepia officinalis'' (Linnaeus, 1758) |url=https://www.fao.org/figis/pdf/fishery/species/2711/en?title=FAO%20Fisheries%20%26amp%3B%20Aquaculture%20-%20Aquatic%20species |website=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations |publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization |access-date=15 October 2023}}</ref>

[[File:Sepia officinalis (Linnaeus, 1758).jpg|left|thumb|Camouflaged common cuttlefish]]
Cuttlefish have many predators including [[shark]]s, coastal [[dolphin]]s, [[Mediterranean monk seal|seals]], large fish such as [[Sparidae|sparids]], and [[cephalopod]]s which includes [[cannibalism|other cuttlefish]]. They have a number of [[anti-predator adaptation]]s; their primary means is camouflage, sitting concealed while a predator passes them by. If located, a cuttlefish will jet away using its siphon, and will often ink; a cuttlefish has a [[Cephalopod_ink#Inking_behaviours|variety of ink types that it can use depending on its situation.]]<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.thecephalopodpage.org/Soffic.php|title=''Sepia officinalis'', The Common Cuttlefish – The Cephalopod Page|website=www.thecephalopodpage.org|access-date=2018-03-20}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Sepia_officinalis/#c4e047f586c3ecc3cd561d198628b482|title=Sepia officinalis|website=Animal Diversity Web|access-date=2018-03-20}}</ref><ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021" /><ref name="fao_2711"/>

The egg masses of the common cuttlefish are also attacked and consumed by predators; an experiment determined that a variety of marine invertebrates, including the [[Bolinus brandaris|murex sea snails]], [[Homarus gammarus|european lobster]], [[Cancer pagurus|rock crabs]], [[sea urchin]]s, ''[[Squilla mantis]]'', and [[Astropecten aranciacus|sea stars]] ate common cuttlefish egg masses.<ref name="Martins">{{cite journal | last1=Martins | first1=Catarina P.P. | last2=Fernández-Álvarez | first2=Fernando Á. | last3=Villanueva | first3=Roger | title=Invertebrate predation on egg masses of the European cuttlefish, ''Sepia officinalis'': An experimental approach | journal=Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science | volume=200 | date=2018 | doi=10.1016/j.ecss.2017.11.016 | pages=437–448| bibcode=2018ECSS..200..437M| hdl=10261/130843 | hdl-access=free }}</ref>

==Uses==
{{morereferences|date=October 2023}}
[[File:Linguine coloured with cuttlefish ink.jpg|left|thumb|[[Linguine]] dyed with cuttlefish ink]]
''Sepia officinalis'' is a species that is commonly fished in the Mediterranean, including countries like Greece and Spain. Although it is fished extensively and wild stocks in some regions are close to being over-exploited, population numbers are not declining and the species is of Least Concern on the list of threatened species.<ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021" /> Cuttlefish in general have many uses, thus they have a large commercial value. ''Sepia officinalis'' is a popular food item in its native range, and mediterranean languages have numerous names for cuttlefish.<ref name="fao_2711"/><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Sykes|first1=A.V|last2=Oliveira|first2=A.R|last3=Domingues|first3=P.M|last4=Cardoso|first4=C.M|last5=Andrade|first5=J.P|last6=Nunes|first6=M.L|date=2009|title=Assessment of European cuttlefish (''Sepia officinalis'', L.) nutritional value and freshness under ice storage using a developed Quality Index Method (QIM) and biochemical methods|journal=LWT – Food Science and Technology|volume=42|pages=424–432|doi=10.1016/j.lwt.2008.05.010}}</ref> The mantle is the main cut eaten; it is processed into a multitude of dishes after the cuttlebone and guts are removed. The head including the tentacles are also processed into a variety of dishes; the [[Cephalopod#Feeding|buccal mass]] including the beak are often removed beforehand.{{fact|date=October 2023}}

[[Cephalopod ink|Cuttlefish ink]] is believed to have many beneficial health effects including [[anti-inflammatory]], [[Antioxidant|anti-oxidant]], [[antimicrobial]], [[anti-hypertensive]], [[anti-retroviral]], and potential [[anticancer]] properties.<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal|last=Derby|first=Charles D.|date=2014-05-12|title=Cephalopod Ink: Production, Chemistry, Functions and Applications |journal=Marine Drugs|volume=12|issue=5|pages=2700–2730|doi=10.3390/md12052700|pmc=4052311|pmid=24824020 |doi-access=free }}</ref> The ink itself is an [[Cephalopod_ink#Use_by_humans|ingredient in food, staining the dish to a deep black coloration]]. Another common use for cuttlefish ink is as a pigment; the color [[Sepia (color)|sepia]] is named after the common cuttlefish, and it is extracted from its ink sac.<ref name=":3" />

Cuttlebones are commonly sold for [[pet]] [[Parrot#Pets|parrots]] because they provide a good source of calcium, help keep a bird's beak trimmed, improve jaw strength, and provide entertainment for the bird.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thespruce.com/does-bird-really-need-cuttlebone-3893344|title=Does My Bird Really Need a Cuttlebone?|last=Sund|first=P|work=The Spruce |date=2017}}</ref> Some reptile species may also take cuttlebones for calcium and enrichment.{{fact|date=October 2023}}

==See also==
*[[Cuttlebone]]
*[[Cephalopod size]]
*[[European squid]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite journal|last1=Fluckiger|first1=M. |last2 = Jackson |first2 = G. D. |last3 = Nichols |first3 = P.  |last4 = Virtue |first4 = P. |last5 = Daw |first5 = A. |last6 = Wotherspoon |first6 = S. |title=An experimental study of the effect of diet on the fatty acid profiles of the European Cuttlefish (''Sepia officinalis'')|journal=[[Marine Biology (journal)|Mar. Biol.]]|date=2008|volume=154|issue=2|pages=363–372|doi=10.1007/s00227-008-0932-0|bibcode=2008MarBi.154..363F |s2cid=85069548 }}
* {{cite journal | title=Adaptive Coloration in Young Cuttlefish (''Sepia officinalis'' L.): The Morphology and Development of Body Patterns and Their Relation to Behaviour | author=Hanlon, R. T. |author2 = Messenger, J. B. | journal=[[Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B|Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B]] | year=1988 | volume=320 | issue=1200 | pages=437–487 | doi=10.1098/rstb.1988.0087 | jstor=2396667| bibcode=1988RSPTB.320..437H | doi-access=free }}
* {{cite journal |last1=Gibson-Hall |first1=E. |last2=Wilson |first2=E. |title=Common Cuttlefish (''Sepia officinalis'') |journal=Marine Life Information Network |date=2018 |url=https://www.marlin.ac.uk/species/detail/1098}}

==External links==
{{CephBase_Species|9}}
* [http://www.tolweb.org/accessory/Sepiidae_Taxa?acc_id=2321 Taxa Associated with the Family Sepiidae Keferstein, 1866]
* {{SealifePhotos|141444}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q756724}}

[[Category:Sepia]]
[[Category:Cephalopods described in 1758]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus]]
[[Category:Edible molluscs]]
[[Category:Marine molluscs of Europe]]
[[Category:Cephalopods of Europe]]