![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/4\/2022\/07\/Cuttlefish-on-a-coral-reef-eeeb675.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C414"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>What is a cuttlefish?<\/strong><\/h2>\nCuttlefish are molluscs, which means they are related to slugs, snails, clams and mussels. Within the mollusc phylum, cuttlefish belong to the cephalopod class, along with octopuses, squid and nautiluses.<\/p>\n
Cuttlefish have squishy, soft bodies with 10 appendages, and an internal, gas-filled shell known as a cuttlebone, which they use to control their buoyancy. Cuttlebones are mostly comprised of a form of calcium carbonate called aragonite. You can sometimes see cuttlebones washed up on the beach.<\/p>\n
Thanks to their high calcium content, cuttlebones are an excellent supplementary food for captive animals such as tortoises, birds and chinchillas. We don\u2019t recommend snacking on one yourself \u2013\u00a0they\u2019re very chalky and unpleasant.<\/p>\n
How many species of cuttlefish are there?<\/strong><\/h2>\nThere are more than 120 species of cuttlefish, and all of them live in the sea. You do not get freshwater cuttlefish.<\/p>\n
Where do cuttlefish live?<\/strong><\/h2>\nCuttlefish exist in tropical and temperate waters, at shallow depths of less than 600 metres. They live in rocky reefs, seabeds and seagrass meadows around the coasts of Europe, the Mediterranean, Africa, Asia and Australia, but there are relatively few species in the Americas.<\/p>\n
![\"""\"]( "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Pfeffer\u2019s flamboyant cuttlefish moving on the seabed in Panglao, Philippines \u00a9 Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nHow smart are cuttlefish?<\/strong><\/h2>\nPretty damn smart! In fact, they are among the cleverest invertebrates known to science. As well as being capable of solving mazes and puzzles, they\u2019re able to plan and even retain their mental sharpness as they age.<\/p>\n
For example, research published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences <\/em>in 2021 found that memory in cuttlefish does not decline with age<\/a>, unlike in humans.<\/p>\n\u201cCuttlefish can remember what they ate, where and when, and use this to guide their feeding decisions in the future. What\u2019s surprising is that they don\u2019t lose this ability with age, despite showing other signs of ageing like loss of muscle function and appetite,\u201d said Dr Alexandra Schnell<\/a>, first author of the paper.<\/p>\nRead more about cephalopods:<\/strong><\/p>\n- Octopuses have sleep stages like humans, and may even dream\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n
- How do squid survive extreme water pressure in the deep sea?<\/a><\/li>\n
- Scientists give cuttlefish 3D glasses to test their eyesight<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>
In another study, researchers found that cuttlefish have self-control. When presented with the option of eating a raw king prawn immediately or a grass shrimp (their preferred food) after a short delay, the marine molluscs chose the latter option. This demonstrates that cuttlefish can delay gratification in a similar way to large-brained vertebrates like chimpanzees<\/a>. It\u2019s the first time this behaviour has been seen in an invertebrate.<\/p>\n\u201cThe ability to exert self-control is an important element of the ability to plan for the future, which is quite a sophisticated behaviour,\u201d said Prof Nicola Clayton, senior author of the report.<\/p>\n
\u201cSelf-control requires an understanding that \u2018less is sometimes more\u2019 \u2013 that avoiding temptation now might lead to a better future outcome. This is a critically important building block for the evolution of complex decision-making.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cephalopods are thought to be the smartest invertebrates, thanks to their large brain-to-body mass ratio and complex nervous system, and they could help us to understand the evolution of intelligence throughout the animal kingdom.<\/p>\n
There are more than 120 species of cuttlefish, and all of them live in the sea. You do not get freshwater cuttlefish.<\/p>\n
Where do cuttlefish live?<\/strong><\/h2>\nCuttlefish exist in tropical and temperate waters, at shallow depths of less than 600 metres. They live in rocky reefs, seabeds and seagrass meadows around the coasts of Europe, the Mediterranean, Africa, Asia and Australia, but there are relatively few species in the Americas.<\/p>\n
![\"""\"]( "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Pfeffer\u2019s flamboyant cuttlefish moving on the seabed in Panglao, Philippines \u00a9 Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nHow smart are cuttlefish?<\/strong><\/h2>\nPretty damn smart! In fact, they are among the cleverest invertebrates known to science. As well as being capable of solving mazes and puzzles, they\u2019re able to plan and even retain their mental sharpness as they age.<\/p>\n
For example, research published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences <\/em>in 2021 found that memory in cuttlefish does not decline with age<\/a>, unlike in humans.<\/p>\n\u201cCuttlefish can remember what they ate, where and when, and use this to guide their feeding decisions in the future. What\u2019s surprising is that they don\u2019t lose this ability with age, despite showing other signs of ageing like loss of muscle function and appetite,\u201d said Dr Alexandra Schnell<\/a>, first author of the paper.<\/p>\nRead more about cephalopods:<\/strong><\/p>\n- Octopuses have sleep stages like humans, and may even dream\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n
- How do squid survive extreme water pressure in the deep sea?<\/a><\/li>\n
- Scientists give cuttlefish 3D glasses to test their eyesight<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>
In another study, researchers found that cuttlefish have self-control. When presented with the option of eating a raw king prawn immediately or a grass shrimp (their preferred food) after a short delay, the marine molluscs chose the latter option. This demonstrates that cuttlefish can delay gratification in a similar way to large-brained vertebrates like chimpanzees<\/a>. It\u2019s the first time this behaviour has been seen in an invertebrate.<\/p>\n\u201cThe ability to exert self-control is an important element of the ability to plan for the future, which is quite a sophisticated behaviour,\u201d said Prof Nicola Clayton, senior author of the report.<\/p>\n
\u201cSelf-control requires an understanding that \u2018less is sometimes more\u2019 \u2013 that avoiding temptation now might lead to a better future outcome. This is a critically important building block for the evolution of complex decision-making.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cephalopods are thought to be the smartest invertebrates, thanks to their large brain-to-body mass ratio and complex nervous system, and they could help us to understand the evolution of intelligence throughout the animal kingdom.<\/p>\n
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/4\/2022\/07\/flamboyant-cuttlefish-7d2669d.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C412"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>How smart are cuttlefish?<\/strong><\/h2>\nPretty damn smart! In fact, they are among the cleverest invertebrates known to science. As well as being capable of solving mazes and puzzles, they\u2019re able to plan and even retain their mental sharpness as they age.<\/p>\n
For example, research published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences <\/em>in 2021 found that memory in cuttlefish does not decline with age<\/a>, unlike in humans.<\/p>\n\u201cCuttlefish can remember what they ate, where and when, and use this to guide their feeding decisions in the future. What\u2019s surprising is that they don\u2019t lose this ability with age, despite showing other signs of ageing like loss of muscle function and appetite,\u201d said Dr Alexandra Schnell<\/a>, first author of the paper.<\/p>\nRead more about cephalopods:<\/strong><\/p>\n- Octopuses have sleep stages like humans, and may even dream\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n
- How do squid survive extreme water pressure in the deep sea?<\/a><\/li>\n
- Scientists give cuttlefish 3D glasses to test their eyesight<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>
In another study, researchers found that cuttlefish have self-control. When presented with the option of eating a raw king prawn immediately or a grass shrimp (their preferred food) after a short delay, the marine molluscs chose the latter option. This demonstrates that cuttlefish can delay gratification in a similar way to large-brained vertebrates like chimpanzees<\/a>. It\u2019s the first time this behaviour has been seen in an invertebrate.<\/p>\n\u201cThe ability to exert self-control is an important element of the ability to plan for the future, which is quite a sophisticated behaviour,\u201d said Prof Nicola Clayton, senior author of the report.<\/p>\n
\u201cSelf-control requires an understanding that \u2018less is sometimes more\u2019 \u2013 that avoiding temptation now might lead to a better future outcome. This is a critically important building block for the evolution of complex decision-making.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cephalopods are thought to be the smartest invertebrates, thanks to their large brain-to-body mass ratio and complex nervous system, and they could help us to understand the evolution of intelligence throughout the animal kingdom.<\/p>\n
\u201cCuttlefish can remember what they ate, where and when, and use this to guide their feeding decisions in the future. What\u2019s surprising is that they don\u2019t lose this ability with age, despite showing other signs of ageing like loss of muscle function and appetite,\u201d said Dr Alexandra Schnell<\/a>, first author of the paper.<\/p>\n Read more about cephalopods:<\/strong><\/p>\n In another study, researchers found that cuttlefish have self-control. When presented with the option of eating a raw king prawn immediately or a grass shrimp (their preferred food) after a short delay, the marine molluscs chose the latter option. This demonstrates that cuttlefish can delay gratification in a similar way to large-brained vertebrates like chimpanzees<\/a>. It\u2019s the first time this behaviour has been seen in an invertebrate.<\/p>\n \u201cThe ability to exert self-control is an important element of the ability to plan for the future, which is quite a sophisticated behaviour,\u201d said Prof Nicola Clayton, senior author of the report.<\/p>\n \u201cSelf-control requires an understanding that \u2018less is sometimes more\u2019 \u2013 that avoiding temptation now might lead to a better future outcome. This is a critically important building block for the evolution of complex decision-making.\u201d<\/p>\n Cephalopods are thought to be the smartest invertebrates, thanks to their large brain-to-body mass ratio and complex nervous system, and they could help us to understand the evolution of intelligence throughout the animal kingdom.<\/p>\n
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/4\/2022\/07\/Sepia-cuttlefish-9a52d91.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C412"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/4\/2022\/07\/Broadclub-cuttlefish-0dd2489.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C417"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
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