Ornate cuttlefish (Sepiella ornata)
Source-cited species reference: taxonomy from WoRMS, biology from SeaLifeBase, occurrence map from GBIF, conservation from IUCN Red List.
Ornate cuttlefish (Sepiella ornata) is a marine species in the family Sepiidae (Mollusca › Cephalopoda › Sepiida), recorded in the World Register of Marine Species as Sepiella ornata (Rang, 1837) under AphiaID 225586.
- Scientific name
- Sepiella ornata
- Authority
- (Rang, 1837)
- Family
- Sepiidae
- Order
- Sepiida
- Maximum length
- 10 cm
- Depth range
- 20–150 m
- Habitat zone
- benthic
- Iucn red list
- Data Deficient
- Gbif occurrence records
- 45
Classification (WoRMS)
Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Mollusca · Class: Cephalopoda · Order: Sepiida · Family: Sepiidae · Genus: Sepiella.
Accepted name: Sepiella ornata · Authority: (Rang, 1837) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 225586.
Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Sepia ornata Rang, 1837.
Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=225586 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Biology and life history (SeaLifeBase)
Measured values published by SeaLifeBase for Sepiella ornata. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.
Maximum length: 10 cm · Depth range: 20–150 m · Habitat zone: benthic · Vulnerability index: 10 of 100.
SeaLifeBase notes: Occurs at depths from 20 to 150 m (Ref. 417).
Source: SeaLifeBase species summary (SpecCode 57451) — https://www.sealifebase.se/summary/Sepiella-ornata.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)
45 georeferenced occurrence records for Sepiella ornata are published through GBIF from 19 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 20 distinct locations from a sample of 45 records, omitting 18 inland records that carry an institution's coordinates rather than a collection site; it shows where the species has been observed and reported, not a modelled range.
Most records by country or area: Australia (6); United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (5); Nigeria (5); Ghana (4); Angola (3); Benin (3); Côte d’Ivoire (3); Mexico (2); Netherlands (2); Sierra Leone (2); Thailand (2); Congo, Democratic Republic of the (1); Spain (1); Gabon (1); Guinea (1).
Marine regions with a valid WoRMS distribution record: Angolan Exclusive Economic Zone; Eastern Central Atlantic; FAO fishing area 34; FAO fishing area 47; Gulf of Guinea.
Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2290903) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2290903&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=225586 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Conservation status (IUCN Red List)
The IUCN Red List assesses Sepiella ornata (Rang, 1837) as Data Deficient (code DD). No trend, population estimate or threat analysis is given here, because none is available from this source without the Red List API; follow the source link for the full assessment, including its date.
Source: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (taxon 162567) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/162567/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2290903) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2290903/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-23.
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