Friday Fun Fact! (Yes, that IS all I'm good for these days -- I promise, real posts shall return, I am slowly gathering my energy. But I'm trying to at least keep up with your Friday entertainment!)The Humboldt squid is not the world's largest squid, but it's not exactly a pushover either. They can easily grow up to 7 feet long and weigh 100 lbs. They belong to a group called cephalopods, which includes octopus, squids, and cuttlefish. These are highly intelligent animals, and like cuttlefish, squid communicate and camoflage themselves using a system of rapidly changing color pigments in their skin. For example, watch the dark colour bands rippling on this fellow below (not a Humboldt) -- the complexity and speed at which they can control these pigments are startling!
They usually reside between 600 and 2300 feet deep in the darkness of the ocean, but at night, they will rise to the surface to hunt in packs. Ah yes, nothing says wilderness like the haunting sound of a squid pack in full cry...
3 comments:
Humboldt's are AWESOME...but somewhat nasty little critters. Those guys who dive with them wear shark suits. It's insane!!!!!!
Whoa, here's another video.
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/wild/all/Videos/05147_00#tab-Videos/05147_00
I would have loved to have thoroughly read your article but I kept being grossed out by pictures of my arch sea nemesis.
He's angry because you ate his children.