Sepiidae: Sepia mestus Gray, 1849 (‘reaper cuttlefish’)

Synonym(s): mestus Gray, 1849.

Typical shell-length 55 mm. As with all cuttlefishes, the ‘shell’ is the animal’s rigid but buoyant internal support structure, which floats to the surface once the animal dies and may drift many kilometres before beaching. Lives in inshore waters in midwater. Native. Endemic to eastern Australia (QLD, NSW and TAS).