Invertebrate
Flamboyant cuttlefish
Metasepia pfefferi
A small cuttlefish that walks across the sand flashing waves of red, yellow and white colour; its flesh is toxic. A prized macro subject at sandy sites such as Chocolate Island and, elsewhere, Kapalai.
- Max size
- ~8cm mantle
- Habitat
- Sand and rubble flats; often walks rather than swims
Best places to dive with Flamboyant cuttlefish
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | peak season |
| November | peak season |
| December | peak season |
Regularly seen on the Dauin muck, with reports of higher octopus and cuttlefish activity around October into the early dry season; sightings are still not guaranteed on any dive.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
A signature Lembeh critter, found year-round over black sand; reported slightly more often in the cooler July-September months.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
Reported on the sand at Laha and at Tanjung Nama across the bay. Present year-round but not on every dive — a good guide and a slow pace matter more than the month.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
A prized macro subject on black-sand muck sites, more frequently reported in the cooler months.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
One of the animals people book Mabul and Kapalai for. Documented on the sand at Mandarin Valley and Mabul's muck sites, but it is small and cryptic — finding one depends heavily on the guide, not the month.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
A macro find on sandy sites year-round.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
Reported on the sandy muck sites — Ghost Town and the Malitbog black sand. A find, not a fixture.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | rare |
| February | rare |
| March | rare |
| April | rare |
| May | rare |
| June | rare |
| July | rare |
| August | rare |
| September | rare |
| October | rare |
| November | rare |
| December | rare |
Possible on sandy or rubble habitat, but much less dependable here than at dedicated Lembeh muck sites.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | rare |
| February | rare |
| March | rare |
| April | rare |
| May | rare |
| June | rare |
| July | rare |
| August | rare |
| September | rare |
| October | rare |
| November | rare |
| December | rare |
Occasionally found on muck profiles such as Lunas; this is a guide-dependent chance sighting without verified seasonality.
Sources & last checked
Checked July 2026
Research is source-backed, but conditions and fees should still be confirmed locally.
View 1 source and checking notes
- Malapascua Marine Life, Thresher Shark Divers