[3] Outside South Africa its range extends to central Mozambique and on the Saya-de-Malha Bank and the Indian Ocean islands of the Seychelles, Mauritius and Rodrigues.

[4][1] The South African common cuttlefish has an elongated body with ten arms bearing rows of suckers.

The animal is capable of rapid changes of colour for camouflage, threat displays or for communicating mating readiness.

A male ready to mate will show dark brightly rippling colours as he approaches another cuttlefish.

If the other cuttlefish is a receptive female, her colours will remain pale and head-to-head mating will take place.