#stubby squid
Look at this cute little googly-eyed stubby squid, and enjoy the nerdy excitement of the scientists onboard the Nautilus.
This little guy is a Rossia Pacifica and is a species of bobtail squid. This species inhabits the north Pacific, between Japan and Southern California. It usually rests on the seabed semi-buried in soft sediment during the day as it is nocturnal. At maturity, stubby squids grow to about 6cm long and live for only two years as both male and female die after mating. This one was spotted at 900m deep.
The video was shot by a remotely-operated submersible by researchers aboard the E/V Nautilus, a vessel exploring areas of the ocean off the shore of California. The team uses remotely operated vehicles to film the ocean floor. They are the same guys who have previously stumbled on a very curious sperm whale a few months ago
Check out their YouTube account full of the cool encounters they witness during the expedition (seriously, do it. I’ve been sucked in for the past 2 hours)!
The Stubby Squid (rossia pacifica), pictured here with a mustache, can be found in waters of the northern Pacific Ocean from Russia and Japan across to the West Coast of North America - photo taken during a night dive at Redondo Beach, WA
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What the “Googly-eyed Squid” REALLY is
This photo of the newly discovered “googly-eyed squid” went viral for obvious reasons. It’s adorable… and so interesting. What is it, though?
It’s name is actually called the stubby squid (Rossia pacifica). It is actually most closely related to the cuttlefish and roams the seafloor of the Northern Pacific ocean.
It’s cartoon features, however, are not a joke. These creatures can be seen 1000m. in depth and spend their time burrowing into the sediment of the ocean and capturing their prey. Their prey include shrimp and small fish as they are only about 2 in. in size.
The stubby squid will live its two years, mate, lay eggs, and then die.
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