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Phylum Mollusca > Class Cephalopoda > squids and cuttlefishes
Cephalapod eggs
updated May 2020

if you learn only 3 things about them ...
Egg capsules contain living eggs or tiny animals. Don't disturb them.
Egg capsules are found on stones and among seaweeds. Watch your step.
Please don't bring egg capsules home. Thousands of baby animals may die.

Where seen? These egg capsules are seen on many of our shores and can be seasonally common. These capsules were probably produced by cephalopods which includes octopuses, squids and cuttlefish.

Features: Some take the form of small tear-drop shaped capsules (1.5-2cm) joined together to form a 'string' about 10-15cm long. The entire assembly is usually attached to a firm structure or surface such as a tubeworm's tube or sea fans (gorgonians). Some are also attached to seaweeds. The capsules are black but become transparent just before the babies emerge as miniatures of the adults.

Other egg capsules look like white sausage-shaped capsules 6-8cm long. Usually seen in a bunch of several 'sausages' attached to large masses of seaweeds.

String of black egg capsules
Changi, Jul 02

Developing babies
Changi, Jul 03

Another kind of egg capsule commonly seen.
Pulau Hantu, Feb 08
Good mama: In bottom-dwelling octopuses, the female looks after her eggs; keeping them oxygenated, free of algae and bacteria, and defending them from predators. The Big-head seagrass octopus has been seen 'carrying' strings of eggs.

Changi, Jul 09

Carrying eggs?

Dive video of cuttlefishes courting and laying egg capsules deep in a colony of branching coral.
Pulau Hantu, Aug 2020

Cephalopod eggs on Singapore shores
On wildsingapore flickr

Other sightings on Singapore shores


Pulau Ubin OBS, Jan 16
Photo shared by Jonathan Tan on facebook.

Pulau Ubin, Dec 17
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on facebook..


Pulau Ubin, Dec 17
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on facebook.

East Coast Park, May 21

Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on facebook.


East Coast Park, Mar 10

Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on flickr.

East Coast Park, May 09
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on flickr.


Big Sisters Island, Sep 20
Photo shared by Vincent Choo on facebook.


Terumbu Raya, May 10
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on his flickr.
.

Pulau Semakau, May 08
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on flickr.


Terumbu Pempang Tengah, Mar 16
Photo shared by Juria Toramae on facebook.

Beting Bemban Besar, Mar 17
Photo shared by Juria Toramae on facebook.


Pulau Pawai, Dec 09

Pulau Sudong, Dec 09
Photo shared by James Koh on his flickr.
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