The fourth issue of ReefLife focus on my favorites, the Cephalopods. In the issue I discuss the striking Flamboyant cuttlefish (Metasepia Sp) and some of the pros and cons of even trying to think of keeping these amazing animals. I also discuss some recent work on the Lesser Pacific Striped Octopus (Octopus chierchiae) which, with a lot of work and a lot of luck, could become the perfect home octopus. But the issue isn’t just about me. Naturalist/photographer Mark Strickland explores the mating behavior of the Pharaoh cuttlefish (Sepia pharaonis) and also shares an amazing encounter he had with a muddy argonaut (Argonauta hians). James Wood and Roland Anderson take us on a look at the cephalopod eye. There is also a pictorial of some of the cephalopods the diver is likely to encounter in the tropical coastal waters of the western Pacific, as well as the cool waters of southern Australia. Cephalopods are not the only marine creatures examined in this issue; Kevin Kohen introduces the rare orangeface angelfish (Chaetodontoplus chrysocephalus), zoologist Tristan Lougher surveys the genus Ptereleotris (the dartfishes) and take a look at some of the more common brittle stars, Dr. Ron Shimek investigates the class Ascidiacea, while James Fatherree take us diving on the fringing reefs of San Salvador, Bahamas. Check it out in print or online.
