# Common cuttlefish (*Sepia officinalis*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/common-cuttlefish  
Data as of: 2026-11-11

The common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) is a mollusc in the class Cephalopoda, order Sepiida and family Sepiidae. It was named by Linnaeus, 1758, and is also called Cuttlefish or European common cuttlefish. The IUCN Red List assesses the common cuttlefish globally as Least Concern (LC), which is not an IUCN threatened category.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | up to 4 kg |
| Length | up to 49 cm |
| Lifespan | Not recorded |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | Not recorded |
| Young per litter or clutch | Not recorded |
| Migration | Migratory |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Mollusca
- class: Cephalopoda
- order: Sepiida
- family: Sepiidae
- genus: Sepia
- species: *Sepia officinalis* Linnaeus, 1758

Synonyms: *Sepia filliouxi*, *Sepia fischeri*, *Sepia mediterranea*, *Sepia officinalis mediterranea*, *Sepia officinalis officinalis*, *Sepia rugosa*, *Sepia veranyi*, *Sepia vicellius*, *Sepia zebrina*

## Common questions

### What kind of animal is the common cuttlefish?

The common cuttlefish is a mollusc in the class Cephalopoda and family Sepiidae. It is listed under the animal subgroup Octopuses.

### What is the scientific name of the common cuttlefish?

Its scientific name is Sepia officinalis, in the genus Sepia.

### Who named the common cuttlefish and when?

It was named by Linnaeus, 1758.

### Is the common cuttlefish endangered?

No. The IUCN Red List assesses it globally as Least Concern (LC), which is not an IUCN threatened category.

### What other names does the common cuttlefish have?

It is also called Cuttlefish and European common cuttlefish.

## Sources

- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/common-cuttlefish