# Pharaoh Cuttlefish (*Sepia pharaonis*) The Pharaoh cuttlefish is a fascinating sea creature known for its ability to change colors and patterns. It has a unique shape and can squirt ink to escape from predators! - **Category:** [Invertebrate](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/invertebrate) - **Rarity:** Rare - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Pharaoh Cuttlefish](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Sepiapharaonis.jpg&width=800) Photo: Stickpen, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sepiapharaonis.jpg) ## Appearance The Pharaoh Cuttlefish has an oval-shaped body with a distinct frilly fin running its entire length. It can display incredible patterns, often with mesmerizing stripes and iridescent patches of red, brown, and white, making it stand out from other bottom dwellers. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Mollusca - **Class:** Cephalopoda - **Order:** Sepiida - **Family:** Sepiidae - **Genus:** Acanthosepion ## Interesting facts - Pharaoh Cuttlefish lay eggs that look like tiny grapes or berries attached to seaweed! - Their W-shaped pupils give them amazing vision, even backward! - They have a special shell inside their body called a cuttlebone, which helps them float! - Wow, this cuttlefish has three hearts and blue blood because of copper in its blood! ## Special abilities - **Instant Disguise:** Pharaoh Cuttlefish can instantly change skin color and texture because of tiny pigment sacs, helping them disappear into their surroundings. - **Hypnotic Patterns:** Pharaoh Cuttlefish can display mesmerizing patterns because of specialized skin cells, that helps them stun prey or warn rivals. - **Ink Cloud Escape:** Pharaoh Cuttlefish can release a dark ink cloud because of a special gland, that helps them create a diversion to escape predators. - **Polarized Vision:** Pharaoh Cuttlefish has unique eyes that can see polarized light, that helps them detect camouflaged prey and communicate. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 15-45 cm - **Weight:** 1-5 kg - **Lifespan:** 1-2 years - **Speed:** 20 km/h ## Diet & Feeding These clever hunters eat fish, crabs, and shrimp with their quick tentacles and sharp beak. - **Age differences:** Young cuttlefish eat smaller crustaceans and tiny fish before moving to larger prey as they grow. - **Primary Foods:** fish, crabs, shrimp, small mollusks, other cephalopods - **Foraging Method:** Ambush ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (*Tursiops aduncus*) — A clever hunter of cuttlefish. - **Eaten by:** [Blacktip reef shark](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blacktip-reef-shark) (*Carcharhinus melanopterus*) — Sharks patrol reefs for them. - **Hunts:** Flower crab (*Portunus pelagicus*) — Ambushes crabs hiding on seabed. - **Hunts:** Giant tiger prawn (*Penaeus monodon*) — Quickly grabs unsuspecting shrimp. ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Ambush Predator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ambush-predator): An ambush predator hunts by patiently waiting and concealing itself, then launching a sudden attack when unsuspecting prey comes within range. - [Ancient Lineage](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient-lineage): This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Marine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/marine): Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life. ## Collections - [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fish) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Always watch cuttlefish from a distance and never touch them in the wild. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Pharaoh Cuttlefish? Compare body symmetry, shells, segments, legs, tentacles and how the animal moves. Invertebrates span many unrelated groups, so start with body structure. Invertebrate Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Pharaoh Cuttlefish? 15-45 cm ### How much does Pharaoh Cuttlefish weigh? 1-5 kg ### How long does Pharaoh Cuttlefish live? 1-2 years ### How fast can Pharaoh Cuttlefish move? 20 km/h ### What does Pharaoh Cuttlefish eat? These clever hunters eat fish, crabs, and shrimp with their quick tentacles and sharp beak. ### Where is Pharaoh Cuttlefish usually found? Coastal areas ### How does Pharaoh Cuttlefish hunt? Ambush ## Where to spot - [Tennessee Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/tennessee-aquarium) — Tennessee, US · Zoo - [Mote Marine Laboratory](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mote-marine-laboratory) — Florida, US · Aquarium ## More Invertebrate - [Coral](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coral) - [Crab Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/crab-spider) (*Mecaphesa asperata*) - [Garden Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-spider) (*Araneus diadematus*) - [Brown Recluse Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-recluse-spider) (*Loxosceles reclusa*) --- Source: [Pharaoh Cuttlefish: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pharaoh-cuttlefish)