Nature · 2

What unusual defensive maneuver does the vampire squid perform when threatened by a predator in the deep ocean?

Answer

It turns its arms inside-out over its body while releasing a mucus cloud

The vampire squid (Vampyroteuthis infernalis) can invert its webbed arms over its body like a cloak, exposing spiny projections while it releases a sticky mucus cloud to confuse predators and slip away undetected.

💡 Did you know?

Vampire squid turns itself inside-out like a living parka, cloaking predators in a mucus cloud while it escapes undetected.

Other options people guess

  • It shoots a jet of black ink like most other squid species
  • It rapidly changes skin color to blend into the seafloor
  • It buries itself in deep-sea sediment until the threat passes

Topics

  • deep-sea
  • cephalopods
  • marine-biology
  • defense-mechanisms

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