The cephalopods:
octopus, cuttlefish, squid, nautilus
and argonaut (paper nautiluses)
Photo Left: Here is an octopus jet propelling away. Jet propulsion is the main locomotion cephalopods use.
Cephalopod Classification
Class Cephalopoda († indicates extinct groups)
- Subclass Nautiloidea: Fundamental ectocochliate cephalopods that provided the source for the Ammonoidea and Coleoidea.
- Order Nautilida
- Subclass † Ammonoidea: Ammonites
- Order † Goniatitida
- Order † Ceratitida
- Order † Ammonitida
- Cohort Neocoleoidea
- Superorder Decapodiformes (also known as Decabrachia or Decembranchiata)
- ?Order † Boletzkyida
- Order Spirulida: Ram's horn squid
- Order Sepiida: cuttlefish
- Order Sepiolida: pygmy, bobtail and bottletail squid
- Order Teuthida: squid
- Superorder Octopodiformes (also known as Vampyropoda)
- Family † Trachyteuthididae
- Order Vampyromorphida: Vampire squid
- Order Octopoda: octopus
- Superorder Decapodiformes (also known as Decabrachia or Decembranchiata)
- Cohort Neocoleoidea
The Cephalopod Page: Awesome Cephalopod downloads about skin color change and eyes (See embed sample below)
Projects & Activities
Projects about Cephalopods
Create any of the projects below or come up with your own.
Teachers Pay Teachers - Fossils of the Ammonites & the Chambered Nautilus
Art Projects
DLTK - Octopus Crafts
Sponge Art Octopus Project
Projects about Cephalopods
Create any of the projects below or come up with your own.
- Create a poster of several different species of octopuses, squid, cuttlefish or nautilus
- Make a world map or part of a map and place photos of different species of octopus, squid, cuttlefish and or nautilus around the map according to the locations they live
- Make an anatomical poster of an octopus, squid, cuttlefish or nautilus. Label the animal's parts.
- Make a photo collage of any of the following: families or species of any one of the cephalopods
Teachers Pay Teachers - Fossils of the Ammonites & the Chambered Nautilus
Art Projects
DLTK - Octopus Crafts
Sponge Art Octopus Project
While I would never condone killing a cuttlefish for its cuttlebone, there are beaches where the deceased cuttlfish's bone washes up on the shore in abundance. Just be sure that any beaches you visit permit beachcombing of these valuable finds. Below, you'll view videos in which the cuttlebones are harvested humanely, meaning no animals were killed or harmed in process. This I support and want to give my students new and interesting ideas for cephalopod projects and activities. If you don't live near a shore to collect such specimens and if you choose to order cuttlebone to try the below projects, if I may please suggest choosing a seller that only uses beachcombing sources for the cuttlebones.
Main Lesson Videos
Informative Videos
Check out these wonderful You Tube videos about the octopus, cuttlefish, squid, and nautilus. The videos range from what makes cephalopods skin colors change to how intelligent they are. You can watch experiments scientists have done revealing the remarkable intelligence of the octopus, the most intelligent invertebrate. There is also footage on how octopus babies hatch from their eggs.
Check out these wonderful You Tube videos about the octopus, cuttlefish, squid, and nautilus. The videos range from what makes cephalopods skin colors change to how intelligent they are. You can watch experiments scientists have done revealing the remarkable intelligence of the octopus, the most intelligent invertebrate. There is also footage on how octopus babies hatch from their eggs.