Scientists discovered a rare find during an expedition in the northwestern South China Sea. At a depth of around 2,600 to 3,300 feet, they found the elusive and bizarre "vampire squid."
Vampire Squid Can Be a New Species
The discovery happened in 2016. The researchers were convinced that the specimen named V. southchinaseais could represent an entirely new species.
The Chinese scientists who captured the deep-sea creature conducted a subsequent study. They took several photographs in the process, Newsweek reported.
In a paper published last month, the scientists said it should be considered a new species of a vampire squid. The paper posted on bioRxiv has not yet been peer-reviewed, and other scientists were reportedly skeptical about the findings.
It's unclear whether or not other species of vampire squid exist. Researchers have tried to resolve the question.
Bruce Robison, a senior scientist at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, told Newsweek in October that some vampire squids look different, but only one species had been recognized.
The outlet noted that vampire squids spotted off the coast of California have reddish, rust color, while those observed in other parts of the world are black. The authors of the new study argued that while Vampyroteuthis infernalis has been the only accepted species to date, morphological differences observed between specimens from the Gulf of Guinea, Africa, and California have suggested the possibility that others exist.
The researchers are convinced that their data show enough evidence of at least two distinct vampire squid. Thus, they concluded that it was a new species after analyzing its body shape and genetics compared to the single species of vampire squid ever recognized.
V. southchinaseais vs. V. infernalis
According to scientists, the two vampire squids have different shapes of their tails and lower bleak, as well as the position of their photophores (light-producing organs) and genetic characteristics.
They noted a pair of photophores located between the fins and tail found in V. southchinaseais. Additionally, it has a lower beak featuring an extensive, stretched wing. On the other hand, V. infernalis reportedly lacks a tail, has photophores near the fins, and has a lower beak with a broad, short wing.
Dajun Qiu, an author of the bioRxiv paper with the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, told Newsweek that the discovery attracted more interest and questions. They also wonder about its ecological role in the deep-sea ecosystem.
What Is a Vampire Squid?
According to Newsweek, a vampire squid is neither a squid nor an octopus. It belongs to their order, cephalopods - a mollusk group containing all the above animals, including cuttlefish.
Vampire Squid does not ink, and its tip emits a cloud of bioluminescent sticky mucus that glows for up to 10 minutes, giving it enough time to escape a predator, Animal Database added.
They are about the shape, size, and color of a football. They can grow to around 12 inches in length. They were first described in 1903 as a single species called Vampyroteuthis infernalis - which means "vampire squid from hell" in Latin.
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Check out more news and information on the Giant Squid in Science Times.
