Animal Species:Rosecone Cuttlefish – Sepia rozella (Iredale, 1926)
Alternative Name/s
Rosecone Cuttlefish
Identification
Sepia rozella is coloured purplish brown, with reddish purple dorsal ridges. Fins are pale and chromatophores are concentrated mainly around the eyes.
The cuttlebone is solid, elongate-oval, broadest in middle and rounded acuminate at both ends. Dorsal surface is rose coloured with three faint longitudinal ribs, the ventral surface with a deep median groove. It possesses a thick spine with ventral keel and ventral notch at its base.
Size range
Body up to 20 cm in length
Distribution
The Rosecone Cuttlefish is found in the Southwestern Pacific or southeastern coastal waters of Australia, from southern Queensland to Tathra, NSW.
Distribution by collection data
Biomaps map of Sepia rozella specimens in the Australian Museum collection.
Habitat
Sepia rozella is found at depths between 27-183m.
Economic/social impacts
This cuttlefish species is commonly trawled offshore from Sydney and brought into Sydney fish markets in large numbers.
Classification
- Species:
- rozella
- Genus:
- Sepia
- Family:
- Sepiidae
- Order:
- Sepiida
- Subclass:
- Coleoidea
- Class:
- Cephalopoda
- Phylum:
- Mollusca
References
Jereb, P., & C.F.E Roper (eds) (2005) Cephalopods of the World: Chambered Nautiluses and Sepioids, Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Catalogue for Fishery Purposes, Rome, No. 4, Vol. 1
Lu, C.C (1998) A Synopsis of Sepiidae in Australian waters (Cephalopoda: Sepiodiea). In: Voss, N.A., Vecchione, M., Toll, R.B. & Sweeney, M.J (Eds) Systematics and Biogeography of Cephalopods. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington DC, Vol. 586, 159-190.
Watson-Russell, C. (1983) Cuttlefish of Sydney Harbour, Australian Natural History, 20(5): 159-164.
Allison Runck
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