Data: Tentacle prey capture in cuttlefish

Cuttlefish extend soft tentacles to capture evasive prey. High-speed
imaging of tentacle prey capture in two cuttlefish species reveals
kinematically discrete, biphasic tentacle extension. A prolonged reach
phase, often extending distances greater than their mantle length, is
followed by a close-range, rapid attack phase. The reach phase duration is
orders of magnitude longer and more variable than the attack phase
duration. Attack phase speeds vary minimally, such that attack duration is
determined by prey distance. Biphasic strikes integrate slow and
stealthy prey tracking during the variable reach phase, followed by a less
variable, close-range, fast attack phase. The attack phase is so brief
that it is likely shorter than response latencies of many prey, but it is
so brief that it may be limited to open-loop control. Comparisons among
animals using soft, extensible predatory mechanisms reveal that cuttlefish
biphasic tentacle strikes rival both distances and speeds of iconic
vertebrate ballistic tongues.