Beautiful Glass Squid

Beautiful Glass Squid

Beautiful Glass Squid

Common Name: Bathyscaphoid squid, cockatoo squid, cranchiid, cranch squid

Scientific name: Cranchiidae

Description:

The googly-eyed glass squid (Teuthowenia pellucida is a blue, transparent organism with a body size of approximately 200 mm (7.9 in.) and notably large eyes. The Glass Squid has light organs on its eyes. Mantle thickness is only a few millimeters. Females are slightly larger than males. The squid has eight short tentacles and a slightly longer pair at the end of its rather swollen body. The only visible internal organ is the digestive gland, similar to the liver of a chordate. As a defense, the squid is able to engorge itself with surrounding water to dramatically increase in size, appearing more intimidating. The squid is also able to escape predators using jet propulsion.