Body Parts of a Cuttlefish

Cuttlefish are a type of mollusk that is related to squid and octopuses. The cuttlefish is a unique animal and has the ability to change its appearance to resemble its surroundings. It can make itself look like a rock or underwater vegetation. Additionally, it has the ability to excrete ink to be used as a smoke screen or even to create a decoy to distract predators. Because the cuttlefish is so unique in general, it is no surprise that it has many interesting anatomical characteristics.

  1. Arms and Tentacles

    • The cuttlefish has a total of 10 arms and tentacles. The two that are more commonly called tentacles are longer than the others, and the cuttlefish uses these longer tentacles to capture prey, which is then grasped with the eight shorter "arms." Additionally, the cuttlefish will sometimes change the color of its skin at the same time that it waives its tentacles in a distracting fashion, while it moves closer to its prey.

    Beak

    • The cuttlefish possesses a strong, sharp beak, similar in appearance to a parrot's, which is can use to help defend itself and to kill its prey. The beak is not clearly visible as it is hidden at the base of the cuttlefish's eight arms.

    Brain

    • The cuttlefish has a very large brain relative to its body size. In fact, it has one of the largest brain-to-body size ratios of any invertebrate. Its brain can process sight, smell and sound. Many scientists consider the cuttlefish to be as intelligent as the octopus.

    Cuttlebone

    • The cuttlebone is an inner shell similar to a swim bladder in many fish. The cuttlebone has both gas-filled and water-filled chambers that help the cuttlefish regulate its buoyancy. As the name might suggest, the cuttlebone is one of the anatomical characteristics that makes the cuttlefish so unique.

    Ink Sac

    • The cuttlefish possesses and ink sac similar to that possessed by squids. There are two ways a cuttlefish is able to release ink. The first is by emitting a cloudy screen behind which the cuttlefish can escape from enemies. The second, more unique way ink is released by the cuttlefish is in the form of bubbles of ink covered in a mucus. These mucus bubbles are similar in size to the cuttlefish and can act as a decoy.