Broadclub Cuttlefish

Fascinating facts about the Broadclub Cuttlefish

• At up to 50 cm (20 in) mantle length and 10 kg (22 lb) weight, the broadclub cuttlefish is only outmatched by the giant cuttlefish, making it the second-largest cuttlefish.
• From the Andaman Sea across Fiji to northern Australia, this cuttlefish thrives on coral reefs down to 30 m (98 ft) deep.
• Males defend a Porites coral head as a territory, and during courtship the male places spermatophores in the female’s buccal membrane.
• When hunting shore crabs, the cuttlefish creates a “passing-stripe” display while swimming straight at its prey, using white-colored head and six arms in a cone to mask motion; this clever camouflage reduces the crab’s alarm response and lets the predator strike unnoticed.

At a glance

About the Broadclub Cuttlefish

The broadclub cuttlefish, Ascarosepion latimanus, commands attention on Indo-Pacific reefs with its striking mantle that can reach 50 cm (20 in) and a weight of up to 10 kg (22 lb), making it the second-largest cuttlefish after the giant. Its skin shifts through light brown or yellowish tones mottled with white, while males turn a deep brown during courtship. Longitudinal white bands run along the arms, turning into broad blotches when extended, and the dorsal mantle may bear a saddle of tiny white and brown spots, narrow transverse brown bands, and bold white stripes. Yellow-rimmed eyes and pale fins edged with white add to its vivid palette, a living canvas that it employs both to dazzle rivals and to mesmerise prey. In the shallow coral reefs up to 30 m (98 ft) deep, from the Andaman Sea east to Fiji and south to northern Australia, this diurnal predator stalks fish and crustaceans, notably shrimp of the genus Palaemon. Its hunting is a masterclass in motion camouflage: the cuttlefish swims head-on, flashing a white head and a cone of six arms while two arms spread sideways, creating a "passing-stripe" display that confounds the looming detection of crabs such as Carcinus maenas. After a ritualized head-to-head courtship, males guard a Porites coral head where females lay hard-shelled eggs. Once hatched, juveniles hide among coral rubble, mimicking mangrove leaves with a leaf-like posture, coloration, and black-spotted stems, an astonishing mimicry that blurs the line between cephalopod and plant in the reef’s bustling tapestry

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