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Kings of Camouflage
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Program Overview
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NOVA explores the behavior and
intelligence of the cuttlefish.
The program:
explains
that cuttlefish are not fish at all, but rather mollusks that, along with the
octopus and squid, belong to the cephalopod group. explains how specialized layers of pigmented skin cells allow the cuttlefish to
produce colors and patterns in its skin. follows researchers who dive in Indonesian waters to try to determine what
triggers the broad-clubbed cuttlefish to display mesmerizing light changes. reveals that while cuttlefish have one of the biggest brain-to-body ratios of
any invertebrate, scientists are just beginning to discover how intelligent
they are. shows the mating behaviors of giant cuttlefish in southern Australian waters,
in which smaller males trick larger males by transforming their skin and body
shape so they look like females; disguised, they slip by big males and are able
to mate—sometimes successfully—with the females. features cuttlefish mating and egg-laying rituals. presents how one researcher is using mazes to test cuttlefish intelligence. follows researchers who discover that the flamboyant cuttlefish, the only
walking cuttlefish known to exist, contains an unknown toxin. notes
that cuttlefish can swim because of an internal cuttlebone—hence their
name—that has small air gaps to help the cuttlefish float. speculates that the flamboyant cuttlefish could represent an evolutionary step
for the cuttlefish species.
Taping Rights: Can be used up to one year after the program is taped off the air.
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