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Two cuttlefish above a rocky seabed, with the lower animal’s mottled pattern blending into the nearby rock.
Look closely. Let the image settle.
Compare a sandy background
A cuttlefish with a paler mottled appearance swimming over a sandy seabed near a rock.
A cuttlefish over white sand in Komodo, Indonesia. The photographer describes a colour change on arrival; this still image cannot show its timing. Image: Konyali43 · Source · CC BY-SA 4.0. Commons size rendition; viewing previews may be resized.
Animal camouflage / Natural adaptation

Cuttlefish — Skin That Changes the Scene

A cuttlefish can change both its skin pattern and its surface texture.

TRY THIS

Find the mottled cuttlefish below the more conspicuous one. Compare its back with the surrounding rocks, then open the sandy-background view.

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THE IMAGE IN THIS ARCHIVE

Konyali43

Original file & attribution · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Frequently asked questions

What is Cuttlefish — Skin That Changes the Scene?

A cuttlefish can change both its skin pattern and its surface texture.

What should I look for in Cuttlefish — Skin That Changes the Scene?

Find the mottled cuttlefish below the more conspicuous one. Compare its back with the surrounding rocks, then open the sandy-background view.

What explains Cuttlefish — Skin That Changes the Scene?

Muscles expand or relax pigment organs called chromatophores, changing the visible pattern. Reflective structures also affect appearance. Papillae can raise the skin into bumps, altering its texture and outline. These coordinated changes help an animal resemble sand, algae or rock.

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Two cuttlefish above a rocky seabed, with the lower animal’s mottled pattern blending into the nearby rock.

Cuttlefish — Skin That Changes the Scene