On March 7, 2017, while exploring the western ridge of Swains Island at a
depth of approximately 1,100 meters below the ocean surface, the team
spotted a long-armed squid in the genus Chiroteuthis.
These squids are
pelagic predators and use their tentacles and arms to capture and
consume prey.
Video courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research,
Discovering the Deep: Exploring Remote Pacific MPAs.
Is this a visitor from another planet? Very few aquariums in the world
are displaying this bizarre species, which we first exhibited in 2012.
Like
many cephalopods, bigfin reef squid use pigmented skin cells, called
chromatophores, to change color and pattern. Specific patterns and
colors are used by males and females during mating, to attract one
another. Each female lays 1,000-6,000 eggs, which take approximately
three weeks to incubate. After mating, the adults die. They can live as
long as 11 months.
Recently they spotted one carrying an egg-yolk jelly and made a discovery about this elusive species: It looked as though Haliphron had not only made a meal of the jelly, but was hanging onto it, perhaps for defense or for help in catching prey!
