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Light emitting organs help squids to hunt

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Squids are notorious cannibals. They have been called the most opportunistic killers in the sea and have been observed employing cooperative hunting techniques, yet they will not hesitate to gorge upon one another should they sense the slightest possible opening.

Japanese scientists say that the squids are far from the sluggish, inactive beasts what we used to think. These are the creatures which use the bright flashes to disorientate potential victims. Taningia danae is thought to be abundant in the tropical and subtropical oceans of the world. Larger species of giant squid belong to the Architeuthidae family.

The squid, which can measure over 2m (7ft) in length, deftly swim backwards and forwards by flapping their large, muscular fins. They are able to alter their direction rapidly by bending their flexible bodies. They emit short flashes from light-producing organs, called photophores, on their arms.squids2 1822

The squid feeds at night, its enormous eyes allowing it to see in the dark. The squid’s two tentacles are remarkably fast and elastic. They can lash out from among the arms to grapple startled prey, holding them fast with clusters of suckers.

As the tentacles retract, they draw the fish into the arms, which wrestle the prey to the squid’s mouth and hold it there as the squid tears its food with the razor-sharp edges of its parrotlike beak.
Gilly says:

It’s like they are sucking the animal right in,but they leave the bone. I don’t believe they have the jaw muscles to crush through it. Fishermen have been bitten by the squid, but I have never heard of a serious accident.

Females, which grow slightly larger, resort to cannibalism more often than do males.

All squid are capable of moving with incredible bursts of speed. They draw water into the mantle or body and then eject this water through a spout or funnel that can thrust them at lighting speed over short distances to avoid predators or to capture prey.

Images

Via: BBC News

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