Cool video of deep-sea Vampire Squid
image public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
The Vampyroteuthis infernalis, literally the ‘vampire squid from hell’ is a deep-sea dwelling cephalopod similar to a squid or octopus. Commonly known as the ‘Vampire Squid’, it is the last surviving member of an otherwise extinct order of animals whose continued existence may be threatened by human activity.
The Vampire Squid has glowing organs that resemble eyes and is able to ’shape change’ or more accurately, appear to turn inside out – kind of like goth kids do when faced by shopping mall security guards with flashlights. These natural defenses have enabled it to survive for millions of years in the dark deep – much like the vampires of lore, though not nearly as cute as the ones in Twilight.
But seriously, according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute this wondrous cephalopod is threatened by factors such as ocean warming, pollution, decreasing oxygen levels, overfishing and industrialization.
Click on the below link to watch a cool National Geographic video showing the Vampire Squid transform itself.
“Vampire Squid” Turns “Inside Out”
by Graham Land
Additional resources:
Deep-sea census yields 17,000 new species
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Tags: cephalopod, cool, deep sea, squid, threatened, vampire, Vampire Squid, video
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