Feature Creature Nov09

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© 2010 Ocean & Coastal Care Initiatives

© 2007 Ocean & Coastal Care Initiatives

Welcome to the feature creature page. Here you will find short articles on different marine creatures. A new article will be featured each month.

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You are probably familiar with the white oval-shaped 'cuttlebones' found washed up on the beach. They are often taken home for the budgie cage. But do you know what they are and where they have come from?

Cuttlefish are related to the octopus and squid, and also to the molluscs, or 'sea snails'. They do not live in rock pools unless washed into them by the tide, but are quite common just off the rock edge in deeper water. There are many species found in Central Coast waters, including the Giant Cuttlefish which can reach one metre in length and is found only in Australia's southern seas.

The 'bone' you may find on the beach is the internal flotation device of the animal which helps it to raise or lower itself in the water column as it swims about. It is not part of a skeleton as cuttlefish are invertebrates and have no bones. However, it is rich in calcium and so can be useful to give to caged birds to supplement their diet. Make sure the cuttlebone is washed thoroughly to remove salt before giving it to your bird.

Cuttlefish have only a short life span and die after breeding. The flesh of the dead animals becomes a major food source at this time for many fish and other sea creatures and the cuttlebones are all that remain to be washed up on the beach.

Written by Jeannie Lawson

Photographs by Chris Roberts & Steve Lindfield