Feeding behaviour of the Japanese pygmy cuttlefish Idiosepius paradoxus (Cephalopoda: Idiosepiidae) in captivity: evidence for external digestion?

Feeding behaviour of the Japanese pygmy cuttlefish Idiosepius paradoxus, inhabiting sea grass beds, was observed in captivity. Pygmy cuttlefish preferred to feed on crustaceans and the feeding behaviour consisted of two phases, namely, attacking and eating. The sequence of attacking behaviour is div...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2001-12, Vol.81 (6), p.979-981
Main Author: Kasugai, Takashi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abdomen
Adults
Animal ethology
Aquariums
Biological and medical sciences
Cephalopoda
Crustaceans
Feeding behavior
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Idiosepiidae
Idiosepius paradoxus
Marine
Ports
Protozoa. Invertebrata
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Research Article
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Summary:Feeding behaviour of the Japanese pygmy cuttlefish Idiosepius paradoxus, inhabiting sea grass beds, was observed in captivity. Pygmy cuttlefish preferred to feed on crustaceans and the feeding behaviour consisted of two phases, namely, attacking and eating. The sequence of attacking behaviour is divisible into three stages, namely attention, positioning and seizure. In the eating process, pygmy cuttlefish insert buccal mass into the exoskeleton of the captured crustacean. In this action the buccal mass elongates to a similar length to the first arm, and moves in various directions inside the exoskeleton and flesh is ingested as this behaviour proceeds. As a result, the empty exoskeleton remained intact when the pygmy cuttlefish finished feeding.
ISSN:0025-3154
1469-7769
DOI:10.1017/S0025315401004933