Featured Image Credit: EVNautilus via Youtube
By K. Snyder
Deep-sea creatures are amazing. We often go googly eyes just looking at them!
Researchers on the A/V Nautilus research vessel found this specimen of stubby squid (Rossia pacifica) while diving off of southern California this past summer. The vessel sends down a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) to great depths to study the biology and geology of the ocean as well as shipwrecks.
The ROV is named Hercules and it is equipped with a variety of cameras, equipment and sensors.
In this video, you can see the squid and hear the voices of the team operating Hercules at the time of the sighting. Even they cannot contain their excitement over how bizarre this critter looks!
Stubby squids are actually closely related to cuttlefish and very proficient hunters. They burrow in the sea floor for long periods and ambush shrimp. Divers sometimes encounter them on deep SCUBA dives and they report a similar “deer-in-the-headlights” look that is seen in this video.
Learn more about the Nautilus and follow their live deep-sea adventures at http://www.nautiluslive.org