The cuttlefish is a small to medium sized mollusc that is found throughout the ocean waters of the world. Cuttlefish are found in large numbers throughout the world's ocean waters. They are well known for the "flashing" colours that are displayed on their bodies during fighting and mating.
The cuttlefish is a carnivorous animal that primarily preys on small crustaceans such as shrimp and crabs, but they also eat lots of fish. The cuttlefish uses its ability to change body colour to camouflage itself, before catching its prey with the sucker-pads on the end of its long tentacles which bring the prey into the sharp beak of the cuttlefish.
Recent research on mating strategies has shown that some male cuttlefish make themselves look like female cuttlefish in order to trick the dominant males and steal their mates, which is almost certainly what is happening in the picture above taken here in Phuket at Shark Point (Hin Mu Sang). The dominant male is in the centre guarding its mate, with the smaller male below left. After mating, the female cuttlefish lays around 200 small eggs and sadly dies soon afterwards.
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