Strange things lurk in the planet’s deepest, darkest corners. And it doesn’t get much deeper and darker than the bottom of the ocean, or stranger than Vampyroteuthis infernalis – the ‘vampire squid from hell’.
As such it is one of the world's weirdest sea creatures
What is a vampire squid?
Despite its name – inspired by its dark colour and the cloak-like webbing between its arms – the vampire squid is neither vampire nor squid.
It is the sole member of its own cephalopod order. Like the octopus, it has eight legs, but is equipped with a pair of thin trailing filaments, which may be derived from the two extra arms possessed by squid.
How big are vampire squids and what do they look like?
This 30cm-long cephalopod may have the largest eyes, compared to body size, of any animal – all the better for detecting what little light is available at depths of 600-3,300m.
What do vampire squids eat?
Coated in sticky mucous, these filaments trap ‘marine snow’ – faeces, dead invertebrates, shed skin and other debris that drifts down from the surface waters. It is the only known cephalopod that doesn’t consume live prey.
How does it evade predators?
If disturbed, it pulls its cloak over its head to expose spiny projections on its arms. It also exudes bioluminescent, blue mucous from the tips of its arms. This may dazzle potential predators or function as a burglar alarm to attract their predators’ predators.