Defensive Responses of Cuttlefish to Different Teleost Predators

Abstract

Abstract. We evaluated cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) responses to three teleost predators: bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix), summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus), and black seabass (Centropristis striata). We hypothesized that the distinct body shapes, swimming behaviors, and predation tactics exhibited by the three fishes would elicit markedly different antipredator responses by cuttlefish. Over the course of 25 predator-prey behavioral trials, 3 primary and 15 secondary defense behaviors of cuttlefish were shown to predators. In contrast, secondary defenses were not shown during control trials in which predators were absent. With seabass-a benthic, sit-and-pursue predator-cuttlefish used flight and spent more time swimming in the water column than with other predators. With bluefish-an active, pelagic searching predator-cuttlefish remained closely associated with the substrate and relied more on cryptic behaviors. Startle (deimatic) displays were the most frequent secondary defense shown to seabass and bluefish, particularly the Dark eye ring and Deimatic spot displays. We were unable to evaluate secondary defenses by cuttlefish to flounder-a lie-and-wait predator-because flounder did not pursue cuttlefish or make attacks. Nonetheless, cuttlefish used primary defense during flounder trials, alternating between cryptic still and moving behaviors. Overall, our results suggest that cuttlefish may vary their behavior in the presence of different teleost predators: cryptic behaviors may be more important in the presence of active searching predators (e.g., bluefish), while conspicuous movements such as swimming in the water column and startle displays may be more prevalent with relatively sedentary, bottomassociated predators (e.g., seabass).

Effects of Visual Cues of a Moving Model Predator on Body Patterns in Cuttlefish Sepia pharaonis

“…One of the possible functions of "all dark" is masquerade, that is, S. pharaonis may mimic inedible objects such as a clump of seaweeds (see Buresch et al, 2011). Alternatively, "all dark" may function as a secondary defense, as several previous studies have suggested for S. officinalis (e.g., Adamo et al, 2006;Langridge, 2009;Staudinger et al, 2013).…”

“…As we predicted, the results indicated that cuttlefish changed its body pattern according to PPD, and also indicated that the trajectory of the approaching model affected the body pattern of cuttlefish even when the linear PPD was the same. "Eyespots", which is assumed to function as secondary defense (Langridge, 2009;Staudinger et al, 2013), was expressed only in the situation expected to have high predation risk, that is, when linear PPD was short in T2. On the other hand, "uniform light", "disruptive" and "center circle", which are supposed to function as camouflage, tended to be used in the situations expected to be low predation risk, that is, before the model was presented and when PPD was long.…”

“…Recently, however, Staudinger et al (2013) demonstrated that S. officinalis displays "eyespots" in reponse to large teleosts. Staudinger et al (2013) suggested that this discrepancy could be attributed to the difference in experimental design between the studies.…”

“…Recently, however, Staudinger et al (2013) demonstrated that S. officinalis displays "eyespots" in reponse to large teleosts. Staudinger et al (2013) suggested that this discrepancy could be attributed to the difference in experimental design between the studies. Nonetheless, the experimental design of our study was more similar to that of Langridge (2009) than that of Staudinger et al (2013).…”

“…Langridge et al (2007) showed that Sepia officinalis displays "eyespots" only towards juvenile sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), a visually hunting predator, and never towards crabs (Necora puber) or juvenile dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula), chemically hunting predators. However, even in response to crabs and juvenile dogfish, cuttlefish continuously change their body pattern and express diverse patterns other than "eyespots" (see Langridge, 2009;Staudinger et al, 2013). Thus, factors other than predator type may also affect body patterns that cuttlefish show in anti-predator contexts.…”