Vamp Squid

Are you prepared for one of the coolest creatures ever? You know of my love for the name idolomantis diabolica. Well, Heather supplied me with a wealth of information on yet another perfectly named creature: vampyroteuthis infernalis, which literally means 'vampire squid from hell.' How about them beans?

The vampire squid is a small, deep-sea cephalopod with a variety of adaptations that have allowed it to survive in pitch blackness and in low oxygen zones. To pick just a few: instead of spraying ink, it sprays globs of glowing goo (sounds like a band name...), instead of changing colors, it can light up its entire body, in place of strength, it moves with amazing speed. Ah, so much to share about this monster. Read up on them! You'll be treated with such vocabulary as hemocyanin, photophores, stratocysts, and bioluminescence.

Also, watch this video of one in action.

Thanks for the new monster, Heather. You're performing a great service for 'head-foot' mollusks the world over!

Photo source: Brad Seibel, via TolWeb.org