Vampire From The Deep

It's October and what better time to talk about one of my favorite sea creatures-Vampyroteuthis infernalis-which translates to "vampire squid from Hell" or better known as just the Vampire Squid. Thank goodness there has been a little attention given lately to what goes on in the deep with new species identified and new photos. People will be slightly interested for a short while and mildly entertained, but I continue to wonder why we haven't been a little more nosey? The Deep Sea is the largest, yet least explored habitat on Earth. I know it's cold, dark, and bone crushing pressurized, but these very hindrances also give rise to its occupant's wonders. Case in point is the fascinating Vampire Squid. He's not a new species, having been first discovered in 1903. He's only about 10 inches long with a blackish cape-like webbing, glowing red eyes, and tentacles that have blue phosphorescent tips. His body is jelly like, allowing adaptation to the high pressures at 3000 feet where he likes to haunt. His eyes are the biggest relative to his size of any creature discovered on earth- sporting a one inch in diameter eye on a 6 inch squid. That would be like a grown dog's eye on a Robin. Not to mention that his eyes glow blue or red. This swimming football also demonstrates great skills with his phosphorescence...one of my favorite attributes in nature. He can light up his tentacles with blue headlights, and best of all, instead of the ink sacs that are common in shallow sea Cephalopods, his defense is to emit a sticky cloud of bioluminescent mucus containing orbs of blue light. The cloud ejects from his arm tips and the light show lasts about 10 minutes, dazing would be predators and giving the little fellow time to turn off the lights and head into the inky darkness. He is usually fairly good natured, despite his ominous name, and has to be very agitated to mucus you because the metabolic cost of regenerating new mucus is high. I would add this blue-orbed mucus to my to-do and to-see lists, but may have to be satisfied with the Northern Lights instead. What a fascinating little creature, and on second thought, maybe it is best that we do leave the Deep to mystery until a time when we learn to be more respectful of its delicate and magic beauty. Floating down to the deep, using the ear flaps and web. In some light, the VS appears reddish- brown.

I love this Vampire Squid costume designed and worn by talented biologist, Jamie Fraser. Notice the great resemblance to the picture above. A good accessory would be "stripper heels" that light up as you walk.