With cunning ways of evading predators and snaring their prey, cephalopods are the ninjas of our oceans. From the scary 'vampire squid from hell' to the adorable Dumbo octopus, here’s eight quirky ocean-dwellers which show why caring about these fascinating animals should go beyond #CephalopodWeek.
1. Vampire Squid:
With its black cloak and red eyes, this scary species is
well-deserving of its Latin name meaning "vampire squid from hell”. It flips
its black ‘cloak’ (a webbed area of skin joining its tentacles) over its body
to protect itself from predators. If it wasn’t already cool enough, the vampire
squid is covered in light-emitting photophores, which the squid can turn on and
off to confuse predators or attract its prey. Although the vampire squid may
sound scary, it is only 30cm (1 foot) long.
2. Mimic octopus:
This cunning chameleon of the ocean avoids being eaten by
impersonating other poisonous animals. It mimics multiple species by changing
its skin colour, texture, body shape and behaviour. Most amazing is how it
imitates the venomous sea snake. The mimic octopus hides in a hole, only
leaving two legs exposed. It adopts a yellow and black banding pattern, while
waving its two arms in opposite directions to mimic snake movement. It can even
shift between mimics as it moves across the ocean floor.
3. Flamboyant cuttlefish:
This is one cuttlefish you won’t want to cuddle. While it
may look pretty, its muscle tissue is extremely toxic. While other
colour-changing cephalopods use the ability to blend in with their
surroundings, this cuttlefish warns predators off with flamboyant displays
involving vibrant hues and patterns.
4. Dumbo octopus:
This group of rarely-seen species takes its nickname from
the Disney character, as the fins on their head-shaped grey bodies resemble
Dumbo’s oversized ears. The Dumbo octopus dwells in the deep ocean, where it
hovers above the sea floor by flapping its large ears and expanding and
contracting the umbrella of skin between its tentacles. This way of moving
allows the octopus to swim away when threatened by a predator.
5. Veined octopus:
The veined octopus really loves coconuts. It’s the first
octopus to show tool use, having been observed picking up a coconut shell,
tucking it under its body and stilt-walking away with it. The veined octopus
uses the coconut shell as a fortress, which is useful on the sandy seabed where
there are few places to hide from predators. When there’s no shell handy, the
crafty cephalopod can trick its predators into thinking it’s a floating
coconut. It does this by tightly wrapping six of its tentacles around its head,
while moving across the ocean floor using the other two.
6. Giant squid:
The stuff of horror movies, the giant squid can grow to 13
metres – that’s even longer than a double decker bus. We don’t know much about
these elusive giants as their deep ocean habitat makes them difficult to study.
With eyes larger than the human head, it’s thought the giant squid has the largest
eyes of any living animal. These enormous eyes allow it to detect its
bioluminescent prey lurking in the dark depths of the ocean.
7. Blue-ringed octopus:
Don’t be deceived by its small size, this 8 inch octopus
really packs a punch. Blue-ringed octopus are among the most deadly animals in
our oceans. It takes its name from the pulsating bright blue rings which appear
over its body as a warning when the octopus is threatened. The octopus uses its
powerful beak to pierce its prey’s shell and inject its deadly saliva.
8. Firefly squid:
The fireflies of the oceans, these dazzling squid have light-emitting photophore organs over their bodies. Not only do the lights lure its small prey, they also help attract a mate or communicate with other squid. Found in deep-sea waters around Japan, the firefly squid light up fishing ports – creating a beautiful blue glow – as they gather in vast numbers to spawn.
Cephalopods are amazing animals. Their ocean home is being wrecked by destructive fishing, polluting industries and climate change. Join the movement to protect oceans and the cephalopods which inhabit them.