Common cuttlefish: Clues from Nature

Question 1 · multiple choice

Choose the habitat that best matches the everyday needs of a Common cuttlefish.

sandy and rocky coastal seabeds, seagrass, and reefs cliffs, coasts, open country, and tall city buildings rocky shores and coastal waters of the Galápagos Islands deciduous forests of North America

Question 2 · multiple choice

A scientist analyses food remains from a Common cuttlefish. Which result is most likely?

selected eucalyptus leaves crabs, shrimp, fish, and molluscs mainly fish captured cooperatively in shallow water mostly fish captured sideways in narrow jaws

Question 3 · multiple choice

Which time-use clue would fit a Common cuttlefish rather than the other choices?

mostly active at night feeds mainly in daylight by ambushing drifting prey often hunts at dawn, dusk, or night feeds during both day and night with short rest periods

Question 4 · multiple choice

Which movement pattern makes sense for the body design of a Common cuttlefish?

walks and probes soil with a long flexible bill swims upright with a rapidly fluttering dorsal fin walks long distances and can swim using its trunk as a snorkel uses fin ripples for slow travel and jet propulsion for escape

Question 5 · multiple choice

What specialised feature helps a Common cuttlefish solve an everyday survival problem?

chromatophores, reflective cells, and skin muscles create rapid patterns and texture large shoulder glands release potent defensive toxins a soft twisted abdomen fits inside empty snail shells large pincers seize prey while sensory hairs detect air and ground vibrations

Question 6 · multiple choice

A field diary describes the early life of a Common cuttlefish. Which entry is correct?

females drop eggs to the ground and can reproduce without males lays grape-like egg clusters on sheltered objects tiny cubs are born helpless and depend completely on their mother young are born well developed and can follow the group quickly

Question 7 · multiple choice

Which relationship pattern is normal for a Common cuttlefish?

colonies huddle and rotate positions during severe winter weather mostly solitary and communicates with colour and posture mostly solitary but gathers to mate generally solitary outside breeding

Question 8 · multiple choice

Which ecosystem job can be connected to a Common cuttlefish?

recycles nutrients from eucalyptus foliage and browses tree canopies moves fish nutrients into nesting colonies regulates river fish communities without usually hunting large land mammals controls small crustaceans and fish in coastal food webs

Question 9 · multiple choice

What protection strategy best matches a Common cuttlefish's body and behaviour?

camouflages, flashes warning patterns, inks, and jets away uses altitude, speed, talons, and alarm calls dives, clings to rocks, and uses spines and teeth when cornered camouflage protects caterpillars while adult tails misdirect bats

Question 10 · true false

True or False: A common cuttlefish changes skin pattern while colour-blind by sensing contrast through its eyes.

True False