About Sepia vermiculata Quoy & Gaimard, 1832
This species, commonly known as the South African common cuttlefish, has an elongated body with ten arms that bear rows of suckers. Two of these appendages are modified as elongated tentacles, used for catching prey. Paired lateral fins run along the entire length of the body. The upper surface of its body is smooth, marked with rippling colored bars, and the animal is typically well camouflaged. This cuttlefish occurs along the South African coast from Saldanha Bay to Algoa Bay, found subtidally down to at least 40 meters. Outside of South Africa, its range extends to central Mozambique, the Saya-de-Malha Bank, and the Indian Ocean islands of the Seychelles, Mauritius, and Rodrigues. It inhabits reef environments and feeds on shrimp and small fish. It has a gas-filled internal shell called a cuttlebone, which it uses to control buoyancy. Its eggs resemble peas, are black or white in color, and are typically found attached to sea fans. This cuttlefish can change its color rapidly for camouflage, threat displays, and to signal mating readiness. A receptive mating male will display dark, brightly rippling colors when he approaches another cuttlefish. If the approached individual is either another male or a non-receptive female, it will also display dark, brightly rippling colors as a threat display. If the approached individual is a receptive female, her color will stay pale, and the pair will mate head-to-head. When disturbed, this cuttlefish may lift two arms above its head, likely as a threat gesture. It is the only southern African cuttlefish species that enters lagoons and estuaries; it has been recorded in Langebaan Lagoon, Knysna Lagoon, and the mouth of the Kowie River.
