Cuttlefish

Cuttlefish ( Sepiida )

The order of the cuttlefish ( Sepiida ) or rights squid is a subset of the superiority of the Zehnarmigen squid ( Decabrachia ) within the squid ( Coleoidea ). You have the original calcareous gas-filled housing in heavily modified form as sepia "shell" maintained.

Appearance of the cuttlefish

Unlike the squid cuttlefish not to life in the open water ( pelagic zone ) are adapted to the oceans, they live mainly near the ground. The coat is usually duller and less wedge-shaped than that of the squid, but there are squid species that can see at a glance the cuttlefish very similar. However, the most significant difference is the expression of the inner skeleton, which is formed at the cuttlefish as a flat Kalkschulp. This is also referred to as cuttlebone cuttlebone contains a plurality of gas -filled chambers that give the animal buoyancy.

Like most other squids also have the cuttlefish a horny beak. Around the mouth there are ten tentacles, which are usually relatively short. The longer tentacles (1 pair) are hidden in the rest position between the remaining arms. The cuttlefish are lurking predators and do not reach such high speeds according to how the squid. Main propulsion is provided by a Flossensaum, which runs as a band around the body and makes wave-like movements for propulsion. The siphon is also used, but usually only for short distances to escape.

Off the coast of the Australian city of Whyalla diving in the summer to thousands of great Australian cuttlefish (Sepia apama ). This large Sepienart can reach a length of 60 cm and a weight of about five kilograms.

Of life of the cuttlefish

Cuttlefish gather in large flocks to perform their mating. It comes with the males to rivals fighting for the females. Does a male directly to a conspecific, its surface assumes the striped pattern of courtship coloration, and the arms are stretched out sideways. Changed in response to the appearance of the same species in the same way, it is recognized as a male rival and attacked. If there is no change in the opposite one, it is a female. A pair has found transmits the male with his Paarungsarm, the hectocotylus, a spermatophore in a storage pocket below the mouth of the female, where it is stored until fertilization. The eggs are born one by one. To this end, the female lays her arms together to form a tube, in which the eggs are transported to the seed storage over and be fertilized. At the end of the tube, the arm tips form two lobes of the secretion shell of the egg, which the eggs are attached to aquatic plants or other structures. Shortly after mating and egg-laying animals die.

Most cuttlefish are capable of changing colors and can dig quickly. For this reason, they can camouflage themselves very well and do not need to flee far from enemies. However, the animals indicate by color change also their particular mood, such as the willingness to mate or stress. Also, the camouflage is of the ink bag, containing an ink of dark melanin concentrated. This was formerly used as sepia for staining of clothing or photo paper, today it is used almost exclusively as a dye for black pasta ( seppia ).

Cuttlefish feed on fish and crustaceans.

Economic Importance

Squids are nutritious and tasty and are therefore prepared as meals, especially in the Mediterranean and Asian cuisine. Due to the particular thickness of the axons of their neurons they were preferred objects neuroscientific investigations. At the so-called squid giant axon - the first time an action potential was measured and beyond elucidated the mechanism of the conclusion of the nervous excitement in the 40s of the 20th century.

The Rückenschulp ( float ) of the squid is used both as a mold for gold work as well as a food supplement for canaries, for example, but also in the Terrarium ( important minerals and lime). Also you can use it as a very fine abrasive. He is white, porous and of calcareous material. He is not only captured the squid fishing, you can find him as flotsam on the beaches.

System

The following list contains the currently assigned to the order of genera and families ( and individual articles on species).

  • Sepiidae Leach, 1817 Sepia Linnaeus, 1758 Giant cuttlefish (Sepia apama )
  • Breitarm - Sepia (Sepia latimanus )
  • Common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis)
  • Sepiadarium Steenstrup, 1881
  • Sepioloidea d' Orbigny, 1845
  • Idiosepia Steenstrup, 1881

The Sepiolidae Leach family, 1817 is now mostly in their own order Sepiolida ( dwarf squid) on equal footing with the order of the cuttlefish found.

Sea Phragmocone Siphon (mollusc)
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