Scientists in California have encountered a weird googly-eyed squid that they first believed to be fake because of its appearance. The adorable creature was first seen at 2,950 feet deep off the coast of California by the team of scientists that identified it as being a Stubby squid (Rossia pacifica).
It is usually found in the Northern Pacific from Japan to Southern California. This cephalopod belongs to the sepiolid family, researchers noted.
One of the scientists that have seen the googly-eyed squid said it looks like a kid dropped his toy. Two others commented that the creature’s eyes look painted on, while another mentioned that the cephalopod was freaking him out, so, we could say that the opinions are divided.
The purple squid has eight suckered arms and two tentacles and unlike other squids, do not have a quill or cuttlebone. They are known to live at the bottom of the ocean and just like cuttlefish they have the habit of burying themselves in the sand.
They bury themselves in the mud or sand during the day to avoid danger or being detected. The googly-eyed creature leaves only its eyes out to spot prey like shrimp and small fish. They appear during the night when they get easily attracted by the diver’s light. If scared, the googly-eyed squid distracts its predator by emitting a blob of black ink.
These tiny creatures can grow up to six centimeters and move around by using their fins as jet propulsion. These suck in the water and then spurt it out to propel their bodies in different directions.
Researchers mentioned that the purple creature looks like a cross between an octopus and squid, but is more closely related to cuttlefish.
The purple googly-eyed creature has a harsh reproduction process. Usually, after mating, the cephalopod dies. The female lays its eggs that are frequently around 25 to 50 on rocks, sponge, and clam shells before dying. The eggs are thought to last four to nine months before hatching.
According to researchers, this cephalopod species spends its life on the seafloor, activating a sticky mucus jacket and burrowing into the sediment for camouflage.
Image source:Wikipedia
Roxanne Briean
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