the.com/cuttlefish
a colorblind invertebrate that paints flawless camouflage it physically cannot see.
means A marine cephalopod, related to squid and octopus, with a broad body, eight arms and two longer tentacles, an internal chalky shell, and a remarkable ability to change color and pattern to blend in or signal.
from From Old English 'cudele,' the name for the creature, plus 'fish' added later — even though it is no fish at all. The first part is thought to be related to old Germanic words for a bag or pouch, possibly nodding to its ink sac or its rounded body. The 'cuttle' also gives us 'cuttlebone,' that white oval found in birdcages, which is the animal's internal shell.
- hypnotic skin
- flashes mesmerizing color waves to stun prey
- three hearts
- two pump gills, one runs the body
- green blood
- copper-based blood, not iron like ours
- built-in skeleton
- the internal cuttlebone controls buoyancy precisely
- cross-dressing males
- disguise as females to sneak past rivals
giant cuttlefish — largest cuttlefish species, up to 60cm long, found in southern australian waters
pharaoh cuttlefish — common mediterranean species, changes color in milliseconds, studied since ancient egypt
flamboyant cuttlefish — highly venomous species from indo-pacific, displays dramatic color patterns when threatened