Cuttlefish, a type of cephalopod, is unique for its internal shell of the cuttlebone. One particular species, the flamboyant cuttlefish or Metasepia pfefferi, stands out for its camouflage abilities.
Most days, the cephalopod blends in with mud and rocks in the ocean. This is contrary to previous studies and reports by scuba divers who have spotted bright yellow and purple flamboyant cuttlefish.
Marine Biologist Roger Hanlon from the Marine Biological Laboratory studied the camouflage abilities of the species near North Sulawesi Indonesia in the Lembeh Strait. The marine mollusk has specialized skin cells and structures which allow it to switch from looking like mud to bright colored patterns.
After conducting one study in 2002 and another in 2016, Hanlon his team published their findings in the Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. They were able to capture video footage revealing times that flamboyant cuttlefish looked like rocks and other moments when the species expressed mating and defensive behaviors.
Flamboyant cuttlefish typically move slowly across the seafloor 'like a moonscape or a desert,' described Hanlon. They take on the color of the mud and sand to hide, similar to other cephalopods.
When the camouflage fails, the flamboyant cuttlefish will flash its bright pattern to confuse or frighten predators. The team discovered that they can do this as quickly as 700 milliseconds. The cuttlefish will continue to jet, shoot ink, and switch between muddy and bright colors until it escapes from its enemy.
Male Flamboyant Cuttlefish
Another time the cuttlefish will flaunt its bright ability is when males want to attract females. The male would show off its colors while moving its mantle stripes in a motion called 'the passing cloud.'
One type of gesture is arm-waving, similar to how humans bow. Another gesture is tapping the female with its arms or kissing. Hanlon described the mating behavior as 'really elaborate and dynamic...[and] comparable to what some of the most sophisticated birds do and even some primates.'
On other occasions, males will fight other males while protecting a female during a love triangle. The face-off involved body patterns of both fighting and flirting simultaneously. The bright colored side of the male flamboyant cuttlefish would flirt with the female while fighting off the other male with its other side displaying a white pattern to show aggression.
The incredible display puts males in danger, shared the team. Hanlon described one male trying to impress a female, then getting attacked by a scorpionfish. That was the price the male cuttlefish paid 'for displaying to a female [and] not paying attention to where [he was] going.'
Read Also: Scientists Used 3D Glasses in Cuttlefish to Understand Its Eyesight
Misleading Behavior
Females were observed to be unimpressed by a lot of male flirting and color flashing. The team observed that out of 108 kissing gestures, only 20 led to mating. Most of the successful mating seemed to be the reward of males who were persistent and worked the hardest. At other times, the risk of flaunting colors is worth it when a female will open her arms and quickly mate in a matter of seconds.
The researchers have yet to discover how exactly the female cuttlefish decide which flirting male to accept and mate with. They believe that due to aquarium studies, disturbance of scuba divers, bright lights, and other human activity, it may have caused the flamboyant cuttlefish to behave differently than usual, misleading people to think the species is typically colorful and not looking like a lump of sand.
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