| Family: |
Vampyroteuthidae (vampire squids) |
| Max. size: |
13 cm ML (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
pelagic; marine; depth range 100 - 3000 m |
| Distribution: |
Circumglobal in tropical and temperate waters. |
| Diagnosis: |
|
| Biology: |
Total length is up to 30 cm (Ref. 96968). One type of a living fossil which showed very little change since it first appeared. The species could turn itself 'inside out' to avoid predators. Inhabits deep waters of open oceans (Ref. 843). Depths range from 600 to 1,200 m. This is a mid-water species. The long filaments in pits between the first two arm pairs may be used to feel for or chemically detect prey. Live animals observed in situ typically orient in the water column with the dorsal mantle surface facing upwards and one filament extended well beyond the arms. Disturbed animals pull the arms and web over their body to take on an inverted shape that exposes the black skin and cirri, on the oral surfaces of the webs. In addition to the large four photophores, this species can produce light on its arm tips and squirt luminous clouds from the arm tips consisting of discrete glowing particles, which can glow for up to 10 minutes (Ref. 96968). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. 123251)
|
| Threat to humans: |
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| Country info: |
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Source and more info: www.sealifebase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.
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