Cuttlefish

Humans have found many uses for this material once the organism decomposes. Cuttlebones are often used as calcium supplements for pets. Parrots, tortoises, parakeets, and even

hermit crabs benefit from added calcium in their diet; egg-laying animals often need extra calcium to replenish their reserves of the nutrient, and the cuttlebone is an effective way to do so. Beaked animals like birds and some turtles can use cuttlebones to sharpen their beaks. These structures were also once regularly used in the casting of metal jewelry. The chemistry and structure of the cuttlebone makes it resilient in high temperatures so it can be used as a casting mold for small objects like jewelry or small sculptures.  

 A recent study by Otjacques et al. on the growth of cuttlebones shows that ocean acidification and malnutrition can cause the internal structure to form abnormally. Ocean acidification, which decreases the ocean’s pH by increased uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, affects the amounts of carbon dioxide and calcium dissolved in the water, which the cuttlefish needs to develop their cuttlebone. When the cuttlebone does not develop correctly, it causes a loss of function, and the cuttlefish is then unable to properly control its buoyancy, leaving them vulnerable to predators like dolphin, shark and seabirds. With the loss of cuttlefish, humans will find new calcium carbonate structures to supplement pet diets, but the loss of cuttlefish impacts oceanic ecosystems as a whole. In the UK, where this specimen was collected, cuttlefish serve as an important predator for small fish, crabs, and smaller cuttlefish. Predators are key in regulating the health of all ecosystems, so any loss of predator impacts the environment in which they’re found.