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CUTTLEFI SH LIKE JET ENGINES
Although it is called a "fish", unlike other fish, cuttlefish have no bones in
their bodies. You may wonder how these boneless fish move along in water.
Indeed, cuttlefish use a quite unusual means of locomotion. The body of a
cuttlefish, which is composed of soft tissues, is covered with a thick
layer of skin. By means of muscles below this layer, a cuttlefish
collects water within its body and moves by squirting this
water out.
The system of the cuttlefish based on squirting water is
quite complicated. There is a pocket-like opening on each
side of the creature’s head. The water is drawn through
these openings into a cylinder-like cavity. Then the cuttle-
fish jets out this water from a narrow pipe im-
mediately under its head with great pres-
sure. This enables the animal to move
swiftly in the opposite direction and
flee from predators because it can ac-
celerate very suddenly. You may be
wondering what would happen if it
cannot move fast enough. In this
case the cuttlefish sprays a dark col-
ored liquid produced in its body to-
W O N D E R F U L C R E A T U R E S
