Acanthosepion pharaonis Cuttlefish Mating

This is a pair of Pharoah cuttlefish (Acanthosepion pharaonis) mating. The cephalopods lock arms, and the male passes spermatophores to the female by means of a specialized arm (hectocotylus). The male stays with the female while she deposits eggs, to prevent access by rivals. Visible on the ground at the left side of the photo are strands of a stringy substance emitted by the female via her siphon each time before she deposits an egg. Photographed in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan.

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Filename: acanthosepion-pharaonis-cuttlefish-mating-japan-202306-3214.tif
Copyright: Copyright Tony Wu. All rights reserved. No duplication, reproduction or usage without prior written permission.
Image Size: 7104x4736 / 98.8MB; https://www.photoshelter.com/support/license#rm; https://www.tony-wu.com/contact-tony-wu; Cephalopod Cuttlefish Animalia Mollusca Cephalopoda Sepiida Sepiidae Acanthosepion pharaonis Pharaoh Cuttlefish Torafu-koika Reproduction Mating Pacific Japan Kagoshima Prefecture
Contained in galleries: Marine Life Reproduction, Cephalopods, Marine Life | Japan

This is a pair of Pharoah cuttlefish (Acanthosepion pharaonis) mating. The cephalopods lock arms, and the male passes spermatophores to the female by means of a specialized arm (hectocotylus). The male stays with the female while she deposits eggs, to prevent access by rivals. Visible on the ground at the left side of the photo are strands of a stringy substance emitted by the female via her siphon each time before she deposits an egg. Photographed in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan.