Page 171 - (DK) Super Shark Encyclopedia: And Other Creatures of the Deep

BRAINIEST MOLLUSK

BROADCLUB CUTTLEFISH

Large eyes
The cuttlefish is a distant relation of snails and slugs, have unusual
W-shaped
but it may have best brainpower of any animal without pupil
a backbone. Its closest cousins are the squid and
octopus and, like them, it has arms for Suckers on arms
grabbing food, and eyes that work as and tentacles for
grasping prey
well as our own. The cuttlefish’s brain
is especially big—possibly to help
it control color changes
in its skin that signal
its fear, excitement,
or temper.

Siphon squirts dark
ink into water to
distract predators

Flapping “skirt”
along body works
like a fin to help
Ocean chameleon the cuttlefish swim
The cuttlefish’s body contains a hard, AT A GLANCE
air-packed cuttlebone for support
and buoyancy. Its skin is dotted with
tiny sacs of pigment that expand to
make its surface change color.

STATS AND FACTS

SACS OF SKIN PIGMENT 133,000 per sq in 5
(20,000 per sq cm)
sq in 50,000 100,000 150,000 PIGMENT TYPES IN SKIN
• SIZE 6–20 in (15–50 cm) in body length
sq cm 10,000 20,000 30,000
• HABITAT Ocean waters near coastlines,
swimming mainly near the bottom over rocks SUPERNATURAL SENSES
PROPORTION OF BRAIN USED FOR LEARNING or sand, or among seaweed
24% (cuttlefish)
LIFESPAN • LOCATION Worldwide
• DIET A wide range of invertebrates and fish
13% (octopus)
18-2 4

MONTHS
169