CEPHALOPODSDAN, EMILY, HUNTER, and ALLISON

What is a Cephalopod? A cephalopod is a head-footed mollusk

that includes: squid, octopus, chambered nautilus, and the Cuttlefish.

Cephalopod is from the Greek word Cephalo , directly meaning “Head foot.”

Squid Octopus Chambered nautilus

Cuttlefish

Cuttlefish- Sepia Officinalis

Cuttlefish- Food and Movement

Cuttlefish is strictly a marine animal They have an internal shell that does not

protect them from predators so they use their fleeing mechanism to avoid death

The shell is made of a calcium carbonate substance found in the bone structure of most vertebrate organisms.

The cuttlefish eats small fish and crustaceans The cuttlefish uses its legs to constrict its

prey and slowly eats it Moves by forcefully expelling water

Cuttlefish- Reproduction Mating pairs align bodies head to head so the

male can transfer a sealed package of sperm into a pouch beneath the female’s mouth.

The female hides in a quiet place to draw eggs from her cavity and pass them (the eggs) over the sperm to fertilize them.

Cuttlefish- Offspring Cuttlefish does not have

a larval stage Unlike the squid and

octopus, the cuttlefish is already highly developed by the time it hatches

The lifespan of a cuttlefish is approximately 18 months.

Baby Cuttlefish

Cuttlefish Eggs

INTERESTING FACTS- Cuttlefish are sometimes referred to as “the chameleon

of the sea” because they change color with their environment

Cuttlefish cannot see in color ,however, they can perceive the polarization of contrast

The blood of the cuttlefish is an unusual shade of green-blue blood

Cuttlefish is one of the most intelligent invertebrates Among the largest brain to body ratios of any organism Cuttlefish use sexual mimicry. It allows smaller males

to mimic females. This lets the smaller males successfully move past dominant males without being attacked so they can mate.

IMPACT ON IOWA

Iowa is mainly landlocked. All marine life is saltwater and Iowa does not have any saltwater, therefore, cephalopods do not impact Iowa or the Midwest.

Cuttlefish- VideosFEEDING-http://www.arkive.org/common-cuttlefish/sepia-officinalis/video-08b.html

MATING- http://www.arkive.org/giant-cuttlefish/sepia-apama/video-09a.html

HATCHING- http://www.arkive.org/common-cuttlefish/sepia-officinalis/video-09b.html

CAMOUFLAGE-http://videos.howstuffworks.com/wgbh-nova/2356-the-cuttlefishs-amazing-camouflagevideo.html

THE END