Squid
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Source: Allaboutnature.com
Squid are soft-bodied cephalopods, torpedo-shaped with a kite-shaped
fin at the end. Unlike cuttlefish, which have a calcareous internal
shell, their internal shell is a transparent quill, which looks
like a piece of clear acetate. Squid range from 1 to 60 ft (0.3
to 18m) long. The biggest squid is the Giant Squid (Architeuthis).
Squid have a large mantle/head (with a large brain), eight arms
with suckers, two longer feeding tentacles, a beak, a large
head, two large eyes, and two hearts. Their large eyes are very
similar in structure to human eyes. They breathe using gills.
They move by squirting water from the mantle through the siphon,
using a type of jet propulsion. When in danger, squid squirt
a cloud of dark ink in order to confuse their attacker and allow
the squid to escape. Squid reproduce by releasing eggs into
the water. Some squid eggs are free-floating; others are attached
to seaweed or to the ocean floor. Squid eat fish, crustaceans
(like shrimp), and other squid. These fast-moving carnivores
catch prey with their two feeding tentacles, then hold the prey
with their eight arms and bite it into small pieces using a
parrot-like beak. The esophagus runs through the brain, so the
food must be in small pieces before swallowing. However, many
animals prey upon squid, including sharks, fish, some whales,
other squid and people.
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