Vampire Squid Size report
The vampire squid, the scientific name Vampyroteuthis infernalis, means "the vampire squid from hell. They are cephalopods and sea creatures with jelly-like bodies. The vampire squid is the only living member of the family, Vampyroteuthidae. The Vampire squid has a strange appearance, with dark blood-red coloration, large blue eyes, and spikes on its tentacles, like a monster in the deep sea. Its name is misleading; it is not a squid at all.
The spiky tentacles serve as a shield for the vampire squid. Vampire squids will cover the body with their tentacles in danger, forming an "armor" that protects them from attack and deters the enemy. In addition, the vampire squid has a pair of tentacles that can be extended freely, cooperating with other shorter tentacles to become a hunting weapon.
The name gave rise to the false idea that the vampire squid sucked the blood out of its prey. These squids float peacefully in their deep, dark, oxygen-deprived habitat, waiting for food to come; that is a different behavior than other squid and octopus species.
Vampire Squid Size and Appearance
One of the vampire squid's most striking characteristics is its large eyes. With different lights, their eyes reflect the surrounding water and appear blue. Unlike most squid and octopus species, vampire squids do not have ink. The tips of its tentacles emit a cloud of bioluminescent sticky mucus that glows for up to 10 minutes, plenty of time for the squid to escape a predator. They have fang-like spikes on their tentacles, and a pair of arms are thin, extensible, and can be stretched to twice the length of the body. They use this pair of flexible arms to catch prey. Vampire squids are marine creatures with light organs that allow them to light themselves up and out at will. It is completely invisible in the deep dark sea when it extinguishes its illuminators.
Although the vampire squid is somewhat similar to squid and octopus, there are certain differences. Take the tentacles as an example, an octopus has eight tentacles, and a squid has ten tentacles. Although the vampire squid has eight tentacles like the octopus, it has two large fins, which octopuses do not have. As far as jelly-like creatures are concerned, the vampire squid swims very fast, reaching two body lengths per second at the fastest, and can reach this speed within 5 seconds after starting. Their fins help them swim, paddling as penguins and sea turtles do.
Average Size of Vampire Squid
The maximum length of the vampire squid is approximately 30 centimeters long, including the tentacles. It has a mantel with an average length of 8-12 centimeters and the body length of 15 centimeters. Female vampire squids are usually larger than males. The vampire squid has no defined breeding season, and eggs are found yearly. This species has a relatively longer lifespan than the octopus lifespan; they could live up to 10 years. The vampire squid is found in temperate and tropical deep-water zones worldwide at depths of 600 to 1200 meters. The water temperature at those depths is very cold and has a very lower oxygen saturation.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Vampyroteuthis infernalis |
| Habitat | 600 to 1200 m deep sea |
| Average Length | 30 cm |
| Mantel Length | 8-12 cm |
| Lifespan | 8-10 years |
Final Words
In real life, vampires do not exist. However, in the vast deep sea of more than a thousand meters, there is such a creature called a sea vampire. The vampire squid is an ancient creature that has survived for tens of millions of years. The vampire squid does not drink blood and is considered the ocean's garbage disposal machine. They use their long, thin filaments to capture marine residue in the water for food, including dead crustaceans' eyes and legs and larvae's feces. The latest research shows that these little figures can also be found in the seabed at a depth of more than 4,000 meters.
