Common Cuttlefish (Sea Life by CollectA)

Before we begin the review, I would like to extend my gratitude towards Happy Hen Toys for sending this figure along as a review sample. Happy Hen Toys is a U.S. distributor of animal figures and one of the only places in the country where you can get CollectA figures at a reasonable price. Visit their site by clicking the link below.

Cuttlefish are cephalopods belonging to the order Sepiina well known for their intelligence and color changing abilities. They have among the largest brain-to-body ratios of any invertebrate, riveling even octopuses as well as some vertebrates, which is somewhat unfortunate since they only have a lifespan of 1-2 years. Like many other cephalopods, they can quickly change the color and pattern of their skin, but cuttlefish take it to the next level. In addition to being able to instantly change their color to match their surroundings they can also change the texture and shape of their skin. Some species use pulsating bands of colors to effectively hypnotize their prey with a strobing effect. Despite their fascinating attributes, cuttlefish are not as popular as their cousins the squids and octopuses, and few cuttlefish toys exist. Thankfully, CollectA has filled the cuttlefish gap in many of our collections this year with their common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis).

The common cuttlefish, also known as the European cuttlefish, is native to the Mediterranean Sea, North Sea, and Baltic Sea, and may occur as far south as South Africa as well. They live over sand and mud in shallow nearshore waters during the spring and summer and migrate to deeper waters in the winter. The common cuttlefish is one of the world’s largest cuttlefish species, with a maximum mantle length of up to 19” (49 cm). The CollectA figure has a mantle length of 2.75” (6.9 cm), putting it at about 1/6 in scale.

The figure is presented with its eight arms splayed out and the last pair flared out to the sides. Within the center of the arms is the cuttlefish’s radula (beak) and the little nub on each side are the pouches which contain its retracted tentacles. The siphon can be seen below and behind the beak, emerging from under the mantle. Around the edge of the mantle is the skirt-like fin, which is sculpted in an undulating motion.

The eyes have W-shaped pupils, which allows them to see both in front and behind themselves, and although colorblind they can distinguish between the wavelengths of different colors using polarization of light. They can also swivel their eyes back-and-forth, which other cephalopods cannot do. Another noteworthy attribute of the cuttlefish, that you cannot see here, is that it possesses a stiff but porous internal structure known as a cuttlebone, which is made of aragonite and helps provide buoyancy. These cuttlebones can be found in pet stores as they’re an excellent source of calcium for birds and turtles.

CollectA’s cuttlefish’s skin is textured with small bumps and pitting that makes it appear both tough and pliable. The mantle has a pitted texture on top and a somewhat veiny texture on the underside. The arms are detailed with rows of tiny suckers.

The mantle has a black and white striped pattern while the fin is tan colored with white speckles. The underside of the mantle is white with faded tan spots, and the underside of the fin is light tan. The head around the eyes is dull green and brown and the arms are dull orange on their upper surface and white on the underside with a brown wash. The last set of arms have white striping on their upper surface. The radula is gray and white, and the eyes are white with black pupils. The zebra-like patterning painted on this model represents the intimidation display used by males competing for females.

The CollectA cuttlefish is one of the must-have models from the company this year. As far as I can tell, it is the only cuttlefish from a western manufacturer that is currently available and only the second figure of its species ever produced, the first was from Bullyland and has been retired since 2007. Scale conscious collectors might not like the large size of the figure but aside from that I see nothing to take issue with. The CollectA cuttlefish is currently available, and you can purchase it at Happy Hen Toys, here.