Cuttlefish and Camouflage
Yes, I did say camouflage. It's based on the French word for disguise, camoufler. Disguising itself is something the cuttlefish does quite well, and it is quite impressive. Seems a bit surprising that the critter can hide itself, what with having all those bright colors and all.
It's first trick: it's not a fish, exactly. It's a cephalopod, like it's squid and octopod cousins. The name came from the shell-like bone on the inside, the cuttlebone. Why fish was tacked on is anyone's guess. Also, the cuttlefish is not exactly huge.
The cuttlefish can change its appearance on the fly (so to speak), even in the process of swimming! When stalking for food, it can mimic kelp, the ocean floor, a black-and-white chessboard, or something else. (Okay, so it doesn't cotton to imitating chessboards in the wild, but it has been observed doing so!) Excellent eyesight and intelligence help the camouflage process. In addition, it has very smooth skin, but can change its texture as well.
So many detailed components together in one critter at the same time, working in unison for a purpose. This is another example of the Master Engineer's handiwork, and I reckon the cuttlefish is laughing at evolution all the while. For that matter, one that was dated at 37 million Darwin years has the impossible (to long agers) soft tissue. Evolutionists should cringe at the mere mention of cuttlefish.
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| Credit: Freeimages / John Boyer |
The cuttlefish can change its appearance on the fly (so to speak), even in the process of swimming! When stalking for food, it can mimic kelp, the ocean floor, a black-and-white chessboard, or something else. (Okay, so it doesn't cotton to imitating chessboards in the wild, but it has been observed doing so!) Excellent eyesight and intelligence help the camouflage process. In addition, it has very smooth skin, but can change its texture as well.
So many detailed components together in one critter at the same time, working in unison for a purpose. This is another example of the Master Engineer's handiwork, and I reckon the cuttlefish is laughing at evolution all the while. For that matter, one that was dated at 37 million Darwin years has the impossible (to long agers) soft tissue. Evolutionists should cringe at the mere mention of cuttlefish.
Though the cuttlebone is unique to cuttlefish, the thing that makes them seagoing superstars is their unparalleled camouflaging skill. Cuttlefish can dramatically alter the colors, patterns, and even texture of their skin. Several interconnected designs are necessary for this to occur, and only an ingenious Creator could put them all together. Between their sharp eyesight, color sacs, specialized muscle cells, and supersized brain, no other creature in the animal kingdom can change its appearance the way cuttlefish can—and all in the blink of an eye.To read the article in its entirety (or download the MP3 version), click on "Masters of Disguise".