Weird ‘Strawberry Squid’ With Differently Colored Eyes Spotted In The ‘Twilight Zone’ Off The Coast Of California
An incredible ‘strawberry squid’ with one small blue eye and one large and green eye has been spotted in the ‘twilight zone’ off the coast of California. The strawberry squid (Histioteuthis heteropsis) was filmed by marine scientists 2,378 feet deep in Monterey Canyon, a submarine canyon in Monterey Bay, Moss Landing, California. The ‘twilight zone’ or mesopelagic zone is an ocean depth where there is so little light that marine life must rely on faint silhouettes to find prey.
The squid gets it’s name from the red pigmentation and the organs called photophores that appears as luminous spots along its body – making it look like a strawberry with seeds
The name strawberry squid derives from the squid’s red pigmentation and the presence of photophores – organs that appear as luminous spots along its body, giving it the appearance of a strawberry with seeds. The strawberry squid, like many deep-sea animals, is bright red – but red light does not reach the deep sea. As a result, crimson coloration appears black and aids the squid in hiding from predators such as sperm whales, dolphins, tunas, swordfish, and sharks. Researchers used a light from an unmanned submersible to capture high-resolution footage of the creature.
Experts at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, which overlooks Monterey Bay, made the discovery. The scientists used an unmanned, remotely operated vehicle (ROV) submersible to film the creature. equipped with a 4K video camera with ultra-high-definition resolution.
The ROV had descended to the twilight zone (also known as the mesopelagic zone), which ranges in depth from 660 feet (200 metres) to 3,300 feet (1,000 metres). The mesopelagic zone extends from where only 1% of light reaches to where there is no light at all.
The squid tricks predators with a feature called counter-illumination – it produces light to mask its silhouette blending into its background and surroundings to hide.
The strawberry squid employs a technique known as counter-illumination, in which it generates light to mask its silhouette and match its backgrounds, allowing it to blend in with its surroundings when it needs to hide. It accomplishes this through the use of photophores, which are small light-producing cells found throughout its body that resemble strawberry seeds.
Aside from its ability to counter-illumination and its distinct strawberry-like appearance, the squid is also known for its two differently-sized dome-shaped eyes. One of its eyes is small and blue, while the other is large and greeny-yellow, resembling a half-lime. The eyes work together to help the squid hunt for food in the twilight zone of the ocean. Watch the video released by Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute of this amazing creature.
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