denise
08-12-2008, 04:59 PM
Cuttlefish are part of the Cephalopod family, a curious group of marine “head-footed” creatures, armed with a bulky head and an array of arms and tentacles.
Their most distinguishing characteristic is an internal structure called the cuttlebone, made of calcium carbonate, and provides the cuttlefish with buoyancy control. They regulate their buoyancy by changing the gas-to-liquid ratio in the chambered cuttlebone.
Cuttlefish are called the chameleons of the sea, similar to octopuses they can change the color and pattern of their skin to camoflague themselves, and communicate with other cuttlefish. The color change is due to the special cells in their skin called chromatophores. The cells change colors when they expand or contract, allowing the cuttlefish to blend into any background. The cuttlefish can therefore change into colors of gold, green, silver, blue and yellow.
Color changes allow cuttlefish to sneak up on prey and shoot out its two long suckered tentacles grab prey and bring it back towards its beak. Cuttlefish eat a variety of prey including fish, clams, crabs, worms and other cuttlefish. To avoid their own predators, cuttlefish eject ink clouds, to temporarily confuse predators, allowing them to escape.
Cuttlefish have blue-green blood, as it binds oxygen using a blue, copper-containing protein called hemocyanin. We have red blood as our the oxygen-binding protein hemoglobin contains iron. Cuttlefish have three hearts, one for each set of gills, and one for the rest of the body!
Cuttlefish are among the most intelligent of all invertebrates, due to their well developed and large brain. They are even capable of learning and retaining information.
http://www.scubadiver.cc/fishid/cuttlefish.jpg
Cuttlefish, West Palm Beach
Their most distinguishing characteristic is an internal structure called the cuttlebone, made of calcium carbonate, and provides the cuttlefish with buoyancy control. They regulate their buoyancy by changing the gas-to-liquid ratio in the chambered cuttlebone.
Cuttlefish are called the chameleons of the sea, similar to octopuses they can change the color and pattern of their skin to camoflague themselves, and communicate with other cuttlefish. The color change is due to the special cells in their skin called chromatophores. The cells change colors when they expand or contract, allowing the cuttlefish to blend into any background. The cuttlefish can therefore change into colors of gold, green, silver, blue and yellow.
Color changes allow cuttlefish to sneak up on prey and shoot out its two long suckered tentacles grab prey and bring it back towards its beak. Cuttlefish eat a variety of prey including fish, clams, crabs, worms and other cuttlefish. To avoid their own predators, cuttlefish eject ink clouds, to temporarily confuse predators, allowing them to escape.
Cuttlefish have blue-green blood, as it binds oxygen using a blue, copper-containing protein called hemocyanin. We have red blood as our the oxygen-binding protein hemoglobin contains iron. Cuttlefish have three hearts, one for each set of gills, and one for the rest of the body!
Cuttlefish are among the most intelligent of all invertebrates, due to their well developed and large brain. They are even capable of learning and retaining information.
http://www.scubadiver.cc/fishid/cuttlefish.jpg
Cuttlefish, West Palm Beach