Our world is getting bigger and bigger every day. With each discovery that scientists make, we learn more about our surroundings and all the creatures that dwell with us. In case you haven't heard already, a group of scientists have discovered a new type of ocean species.
Everybody, meet the stubby squid!
Now, I know what you're thinking: Isn't that Pearl from Finding Nemo? While I would love to say "yes, it is!" It's actually not. The scientists aboard the E/V Nautilus came across this adorable little critter while they were scanning the southern coast of California. When they came across him, it's understandable why they were so taken in by his vibrant purple body and huge doll eyes. One of the scientists even commented how he thought that this guy looked like a child's toy that was dropped into the water.
While some people think this guy looks like a mini octopus or a stunted squid, he's actually more closely related to cuttlefish. Rossia Pacifica, or "stubby squids" grow to roughly six centimeters in length and live for about two years. Despite the cuteness that you see, stubby squids are actually fierce ambush predators to shrimp and other small fish. During the day, they bury themselves to sleep in the sand on the bottom of the sea floor. They also secrete a sticky mucus that normally holds sand and pebbles to their exterior in order to camouflage them. When nighttime comes, they shed the sandy mucus layer and go out to hunt for their food. Once their prey is in sight, they bury themselves in the sand again until their food gets close enough for them to jump out and grab.
When the E/V Nautilus crew stumbled across this purple stubby squid, he was out for his nighttime hunt and was probably not expecting to see anything out of the usual. Nothing like a submarine anyway. It's no wonder it seemed to act like a deer caught in headlights.
The discovery of this little purple critter really helps to reminds us that no matter what we think we know, there's always something new to learn and I think stubby squids are the perfect reminder of that.
(If you want to see the video the scientists captured when they discovered this stubby squid, you can go look at here.)
