[montereybayaquarium]

People have long suspected flamboyant cuttlefish of being toxic—but what does the science say? “Umm, actually, sorry, maybe not…” according to our cephalopod aquarist Bret Grasse and his cuttle-y colleagues. 

Even though their striking coloration was long-believed to be an advertisement for a poisonous personality, recent research suggests that flamboyant cuttlefish aren’t very toxic if at all—and certainly not enough to affect predators that may consume them. 

So why the cascading colors and extravagant attire? No one knows for sure—it’s now thought that flamboyant cuttlefish may be just strange enough to make predators think twice about their meal selection. 

We’ll be the first to admit, you may have heard that flamboyant cuttlefish are poisonous from us!  We’re happy to issue this correction and look forward to the next great cuttlefish discovery. Science, AWAY!