Vampire Squid

The vampire squid (Vampyroteuthis infernalis) gets its name from its dark coloring. It does not feed on blood. It is found worldwide in temperate and tropical oceans at depths of around 2,000 to 3,000 feet. It is the only surviving member of its order and can only grow to around 12 inches in length.

According to Marine Bio, it can move at approximately two body lengths per second and propel itself with a jet of water through the mantel. Carl Chun originally discovered the squid in 1903 as part of the Valdivia Expedition. He wanted to prove that life existed below 550 meters.

Appearance 

The vampire squid is a small cephalopod that can grow to around twelve inches in length. As is common among cephalopods, the female is larger than the male. The gelatinous body varies in color, from completely jet black to pale red.

The squid’s name comes, in part, from its dark color. The lighting conditions often affect its tones, as does the location. They cannot change their color at will, though. The squid has eight arms, each of which is connected by webbing. If one of these arms were to be removed, by a predator’s bite, for example, it could regenerate. They are lined with spines, known as cirri. Half of each arm is covered with suckers. 

Mature adults have a pair of small fins projecting from sides of body furthest from eyes. Beaks, located in the center of the circle of arms, are white. Two pouches containing the tactile filaments are concealed within the webbing between the first and second pairs of arms.

The squid has round eyes that are usually red or blue, again depending on lighting and location. Adults have small fins that protrude from the mantel. They have white beak-shaped jaws and are covered in photophores. These are light-producing organs that can create a disorienting flashing light.

They can change how bright, often, and numerous the flashes are. They are located at the tip-off of the arms and the base of the fins. These squids also have photoreceptors on the tops of their heads. These are also known as simple eyes. They are composed of a lens without a retina. 

This squid has weak muscles and moves using a pair of fins, but when in danger can swim fast by using jet propulsion.

The vampire squid uses light as a form of defense as well as communication. Males and females of the species do not come across one another very frequently, and therefore the lights might be used to attract a mate. 

Habitat

The vampire squid is found in temperate and tropical oceans at extreme depths, around 2,000 to 3,000 feet. There is very little oxygen at these depths or light, and therefore the squid has to use its specialized metabolism to survive.

At these depths, according to the Aquarium of the Pacific, the temperate is around 2-60 degrees Celsius and 35.6-42.8 degrees Fahrenheit. The animals use very little energy daily, something that’s critical due to the low-oxygen environment. 

Diet

The vampire squid feeds on detritus or marine snow that falls from the ocean’s upper layers down to 2,000-3,000 feet where the squid lives. Mostly, the squid floats through its environment and waits for its food to come to it.

It fishes for marine snow using two retractable filaments and mucus-covered suckers!

The squid uses its retractile filaments to capture food. They only need to eat approximately two times a week. It does not have the feeding tentacles that other cephalopods do.

Their flannels have sensory cells located in small hairs that allow the squid to detect their prey. The detritus it feeds on includes the remains of larvaceans, salps, and zooplankton, as well as amphipods and isopods.

Reproduction

Male squids pass a packet of sperm to the female, to fertilize their eggs. According to Oceana, female squids are capable of storing male sperm over long periods. When the female is ready, she can use the sperm to reproduce.

The transparent hatchlings are about 8 mm (0.3 in) long at birth and closely resemble adults but lack webbing, and have small eyes and short velar filaments. They survive on their yolk sacs until they can feed themselves.

Hatchlings have one pair of swimming fins, but as they become juveniles they grow a second pair of fins. Once the second pair reaches full size, the first is reabsorbed

Their gestation period is around 13 months. Unfortunately, not much else is known about the reproductive behavior of these animals. This is due in part to the fact that they are incredibly hard to study. Their deep habitats make long-term observations difficult. 

Threats

The vampire squid is not on any endangered or threatened species lists due to the depth at which the animals live. They are not fished, nor do they pose any threat to human resources. 

They are sometimes found in the stomachs of larger fish, whales, and sea lions, but they have few natural predators due to the depth at which they live. When threatened, the squid inverts its arms over its body and makes itself appear larger. The spines on the inside of its arms, which are harmless, are exposed. The glowing tips of its arms and around its fins also present a more deadly image. 

Unlike other squids, the vampire squid cannot produce ink when threatened. Their “pineapple posture,” as described above, and quick movements made with their arms are their main ways of deterring predators. 

5 More Quick Facts about Vampire Squid 

1. Female vampire squids are capable of storing male sperm over long periods. 
2. They have the largest eyes in comparison to the bodies of any animal in the world. 
3. The squid has round eyes that are usually red or blue.
4. Vampire squids belong to the group of mollusks that also include nautiluses, octopuses, cuttlefish, ammonites, belemnites, bobtail squid, and others.
5. Like most deep ocean organisms, it is very difficult to study vampire squids in their natural environment, so little is known about the behavior of these animals.

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