DIVE LOG AUSTRALASIA ISSUE 413 AUGUST 25

based blue blood, and wield eight arms along with a pair of extendable feeding tentacles. Their W-shaped pupils allow simultaneous forward and backward vision and while they cannot perceive colour, they excel at producing it. Thanks to millions of specialised skin cells known as chromatophores, iridophores, and leucophores, cuttlefish can rapidly shift their colour, texture, and even body shape. These abilities are vital for camouflage, signalling intentions, and above all, during courtship. Males perform dazzling displays of pulsing stripes and shifting colours to lure females and intimidate competitors. Their skin also features papillae—tiny muscular structures that can protrude or flatten to alter their appearance further. Surrounded by rivals, a male cuttlefish defends his place beside a potential mate

Males outnumber females by a significant margin, often as high as 8 to 1, resulting in fierce competition. Large males dominate, using vibrant hue displays and physical guarding to secure access to females. These confrontations can be brutal, leaving males with torn tentacles or visible scars. Scan the rocky seabed carefully and you may see a large male lying low against the substrate. He’s not idle—he’s vigilantly protecting a nearby female, possibly while she deposits eggs under a ledge. Rival males circle at a distance, waiting for any lapse in attention. The instant he shifts focus, one of them will make a quick attempt to dash in and claim a mating opportunity.

•Motionless but alert, a Giant Cuttlefish hides in plain sight on the shallow seabed

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Dive Log Australasia #413 August‘25

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