Jewelled squid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jewelled squid |
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Histioteuthis arcturi (Robson, 1948) |
The Stigmatoteuthis arcturi, often called the jewelled squid, is a cool type of cock-eyed squid. It belongs to a group of squids called Histioteuthidae. You can find this amazing squid deep in the warm parts of the Atlantic Ocean. It lives in a part of the ocean known as the mesopelagic zone.
What Does the Jewelled Squid Look Like?
The jewelled squid has really long arms compared to its body. Its body is called a mantle. Male jewelled squids have special light-producing organs called photophores on their heads. There are three of these lights in a line down the middle of their head.
The underside of the squid's body has many evenly spaced lights. These lights help the squid see in the deep, dark ocean. On its tentacles, the suckers in the middle row are much bigger. They are at least four times larger than the tiny suckers on the outer rows. As the squid grows, its skin develops small bumps under its outer layer. Female squids can grow up to 200 mm (8 in) long. Males are a bit smaller, reaching about 125 mm (5 in).
Where Does the Jewelled Squid Live?
This deep-sea squid lives in the tropical and subtropical parts of the Atlantic Ocean. You can find it between about 40°N and 30°S. It is especially common in the Sargasso Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.
Younger squids, less than 5 mm (0.2 in) long, live at depths between 200 and 400 m (700 and 1,300 ft). As they get bigger, they move deeper. These larger young squids might come up to 400 m (1,300 ft) at night. During the day, they stay between 450 and 750 m (1,500 and 2,500 ft). Adult jewelled squids live even deeper, from 600 and 2,700 m (2,000 and 9,000 ft) down.
How Does the Jewelled Squid See?
The jewelled squid has very unique eyes. Like other squids in its family, its two eyes are different sizes and point in different directions. The left eye is large and shaped like a tube. It points upwards. This big eye helps the squid spot animals swimming above it. It can see their shapes against the faint light from the surface.
The right eye is smaller and shaped like a normal eye. It points forward and downwards. This eye helps the squid see animals that are in front of it or below it. This special vision helps the jewelled squid hunt and stay safe in the deep, dark ocean.
