The southern dumpling squid is a type of bobtail squid, which comprises a group of cephalopods that are closely related to cuttlefish. Though they are able to change colour, similar to a cuttlefish, they are often iridescent green and yellow with brown spots covering their body.
These little squid can be found in the shallow coastal waters of the Great Southern Reef in seagrass beds or sandy areas near reefs. They will burrow themselves into the seafloor during the day, using their second pair of arms to rake sand over the top of their body as a form of protection.
The upper surface of their skin is highly specialised and contains two special cell types. One acts like glue to hold the sand in place even if they are flushed out of the seabed by a potential predator. The other contains special acid cells that allow the sand coat to disconnect all at once — leaving it as a sinking decoy while the squid jets away.