Newspaper Sections

Special Series

Publications

About SSFP

Simpson Street Free Press

Learn About the Vampire Squid

Vampire squids don’t actually share many resemblances to Dracula, and they aren’t after your blood. Instead, they are creatures that live deep in the ocean, around 2,000 to 3,000 ft.

Since the vampire squids live so deep in the water, scientists have to use drones to study them. They have very large eyes which are located on the side of their head, and are usually red or blue, depending on the light they reflect. Although they have the characteristics of other squids, they have 8 legs like an octopus and other cephalopods. One notable difference: vampire squids can not change color or use ink to protect themselves, which means they have to use different methods to stay safe.

Vampire squids can flip inside out, which is one way they ward off predators. The part of the ocean they live in is extremely dark, which makes it easier to go unnoticed by hungry predators as well. When the vampire squids flip inside out, they put their tentacles over their neck and head while cloaking themselves. The only visible thing on them is the spikes under their tentacles, which isn’t an appealing dinner.

Vampire squids are fast swimmers. In the past, scientists thought that they were slow swimmers, but they discovered that vampire squids are actually fast swimmers. They also can produce light, with an organ called photophores that covers their bodies.

I hope you learned a lot about what these animals do to protect themselves and how they appear.

[Source: a-z-animals.com]

Loading Comments...