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Updated: Apr 28, 2026

A Fish-feeding Laboratory Bioassay to Assess the Antipredatory Activity of Secondary Metabolites from the Tissues of Marine Organisms
Published on: January 11, 2015
Prey capture by the cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis L): An experimental study of two strategies
P Duval1, M P Chichery, R Chichery
1Laboratoire de Psychophysiologie; Université de Caen, 14032 Caen Cedex, France; Laboratoire maritime de Luc-sur-Mer, 14530 Luc-sur-Mer, France.
Abstract:
This study shows that the size of the prey (Carcinus maenas ) relative to the predator (Sepia officinalis ) is of importance in the choice between two types of attack: either capture by ejection of the two extensible tentacles, or capture by jumping on the prey. Small crabs are preferentially captured by the first method and large crabs by the second. Other factors which may explain the observed variations, include previous experience of the predator and the behaviour of the prey.

