Humboldt Squid - cephalopod, belonging to the family Ommastrephidae. Mostly lives in that part of the Pacific Ocean where the Peruvian current passes, at depths from 0.2 - 0.7 km.
Its dimensions are impressive, the length can reach up to 2 m, and weight up to 50 kg. The body consists of a head, legs and 10 tentacles. There is no outer shell. The lower part of the leg is modified to the funnel necessary for movement. The rest is represented by a mantle cavity with internal organs. Tentacles extending from the leg and surrounding the mouth are equipped with suction cups. Two hunters, they are longer. The remaining 8, sometimes called hands, serve to hold the victim.
Humboldt squid has complex vision. The photos presented in the article show large eyes well. Of the senses, touch is developed, there are taste cells. Chromatophores are inherent in most cephalopods. In an instant, the color of the body can change from cream gray to red and vice versa.
Sea squid has bioluminescence, which consists in the ability to glow the lower part of the body. This feature helps to hunt and confuse predators. In the mating season, it is used to attract attention.
Humboldt Squid has colorless blood. When interacting with oxygen, it turns blue, because Hemocyanin, an oxygen-transporting protein, contains copper ions (our blood is red because oxygen is carried by hemoglobin in it, the basis of which is iron ions).
Humboldt's squid is not a loner. A flocked lifestyle leads, sometimes such a company exceeds 1000 individuals. They feed on fish, crabs, and sometimes their relatives. Cases of attacks on people are described. In a full state they are passive, occasionally curious.
Movement with the discharge of water in the opposite direction is energy-intensive. For a long time, it was not clear how, when immersed, it passes through areas of ocean water with a reduced oxygen concentration. Recently it turned out that the Humboldt squid is able to slow down metabolic processes by 80%, sinking into places inaccessible to the tuna, sailfish, marlin and others hunting for it.
The process of reproduction is interesting. In males, which are usually smaller than females, one of the tentacles is intended for fertilization. He extracts them from the mantle cavity
spermatophores containing sperm, and places in the cavity of the female. After a certain time, the expectant mother lays eggs, which are quite large. The nest is built in advance from stones and the remainder of the shells. The female vigilantly guards the eggs, and later - the cubs that appeared.
Unfortunately, much of the life of the Humboldt squid remains unknown because of its habitat. In live form, it is not possible to move it to the laboratory, it dies within several hours. Its migration to areas of extraction of marine life is of concern to scientists. Since it reproduces fairly quickly, it can threaten many populations of commercial fish.
The local population of those countries where these squids are found off the coast, with pleasure catches them. The meat is tasty, it is found on the shelves of coastal shops. In large quantities exported to different countries.
