The Vampire Squid
This deep sea creature is unique and considerably terrifying. Although it is rather small at only 30cm all up, it has extremely powerful jaws feeding on small invertebrates and inhibiting tropical waters at 300-600 meter depths.
Due to its habitat it requires a number of adaptations for survival.
They have the lowest metabolic rate of all deep sea cephalopods which means they only need to eat a few times a year.
They have blue blood consisting of hemocyanin which binds to oxygen more efficiently which is aided by their large gills.
They lack ink sacs, however to make up for this they have an equivalent sticky cloud of bioluminescent mucus containing orbs of blue light that they eject from their arms.
This may last up to 10 minutes and serves to daze predators while the vampire squid slips away. This is only used as a very last resort as it is very metabolically costly.
They also have the ability of fold their arms upon themselves (effectively turning inside out) to protect their more vulnerable body with the little spines it possess on the underneath of its tentacles.
The vampire squid has webbed tentacles which enable them to “fly” through the water. This is also how they got their name as this feature resembles a Dracula cloak also due to their black pigment
Sources and further reading:
http://eol.org/pages/492277/details
http://www.squid-world.com/vampire-squid/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vampire_squid
Image via imgur
Watch video:
Vampire Squid from Hell (3200 Feet Under Sea Level)
Ummm..Duncan, I thought you shared a new video..but still the same I posted :P
ReplyDeleteFind another one ..griiiiinn
small creatures have might and aggressive mechanisms.
ReplyDeleteSee also: Goldman Sachs.
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Definitely somebody to avoid if you are out late at night turning any deep sea corners. Looks sort of like a T-Rex inhaling a bat! :) Or is that just my bad eyesight?
ReplyDeleteLOL...you have such an imagination Sean Walker ... I mean really, I'm still smiling thinking you compared Berlioz with M. Curie =))
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