The Sepiidae have a tropical/temperate distribution. They are mostly shallow-water animals although they are known from depths of about 600 m (Lu and Roper, 1991). They have an unusual biogeographic pattern (seen below, in white) in which they are absent from the Americas. Young, et al. (1998) suggest that by the time the family evolved in the Old World, the northern migration bridge across the Atlantic was closed to these warm water species.

Figure. Chart showing the distribution of the Sepiidae (white areas). Chart modified from Young et al. (1998).