Mating Strategies
Female ImpersonationThis strategy is used by smaller male cuttlefish who try to impersonate a female to "fool" larger males (Norman et al. 1999). In a typical mating environment, the males will use elaborate color schemes to attract the females. When a male successfully courts a female, copulation occurs once the male passes the sperm packets to a pouch in the female that is located just beneath the beak. After copulation is complete, the female lays large eggs and attaches them to rocks. The eggs are then fertilized (Naud et al. 2006). Once this process is completed, the male guards his mate from other potential male suitors.
Smaller males will impersonate a female by changing their color scheme to mimic the female's appearance and try to "steal" the larger male's mate, sometimes even right from beneath them. |
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