Cuttlefishコウイカ

Sepia pharaonisLC— Least Concern

The pharaoh cuttlefish is a large, tiger-striped cuttlefish of the Indian Ocean and western Pacific, growing to a mantle length of 42 cm and a weight of 5 kg. It hunts fish, crabs, and even other cuttlefish at night in shallow water, relying on rapid chromatophore color changes for camouflage and communication. It is assessed as Least Concern and remains an economically important species across its range.

Cuttlefish (reference photo)
Photo: Silke Baron / CC BY 2.0 / Source / cropped

Species Data

Classification
Sepiida / Sepiidae Source
Size
A large cuttlefish with a mantle length of up to 42 cm and a weight of up to 5 kg
Diet
Carnivore Carnivorous; moves into the shallows at night to prey on small fish, crabs, and sometimes other cuttlefish
Distribution
Ranges across the Indian Ocean into the western Pacific down to depths of about 120 m, including the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, with some individuals reaching the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal. Source
Sources
en.wikipedia.org churaumi.okinawa

Did You Know?

  • Its Japanese name, meaning "tiger-striped cuttlefish," comes from the striped pattern across its back and head. Source
  • Its skin packs up to 200 pigment-controlling chromatophores per square millimeter, letting it change color almost instantly for camouflage. Source

Where to See This Species

Operating facilities registered on this site: Japan 0

Verified individual animals and facilities will be added as official information becomes available.

Conservation Story

Conservation Status

Least Concern (LC)

Sources

en.wikipedia.org

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FAQ

How big can it get?
It is one of the largest cuttlefish species, reaching a mantle length of 42 cm and a body weight of up to 5 kg. Source
How many operating facilities are registered here?
Operating facilities registered on this site: Japan 0 Source

Books & gear

Source: ja.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org