Cephalopods of the Algerian coast: Ecology, biology and exploitation common cuttlefish Sepia officinalis (Linnaeus 1758) in central Algeria

This study, based on data and observations gathered from commercial fishing in the Algiers region and from surveys carried out in three different campaigns along the Algerian coast, provides, for the first time, information on the geographical and bathymetric distributions of cephalopod species and their inventories. This study also examined the ecology, diet, reproduction, growth and exploitation of a sepiid species: Sepia officinalis (L, 1758). This species is present in all fishing areas in Algeria between the surface and 200m. Its associated fauna is made up of fish of definite commercial interest. An initial morphometric and physicochemical study of cuttlefish bone has provided new information on the probable discrimination of cuttlefish populations along the Algerian coast. Its diet consists mainly of fish and crustaceans.