Despite the ominous name, the vampire squid (Vampyroteuthis infernalis) is neither a vampire nor a squid, but the sole surviving member of an ancient group of cephalopods.
Instead of chasing down prey, Vampyroteuthis feeds on “marine snow”—a flurry of dead plankton, poop, mucus, and other organic material sinking from the waters above. They have two long, thin, sticky filaments that collect bits of “snow.” Once their filaments are loaded with food, Vampyroteuthis pulls them through their arms. Suckers under their web produce mucus to concentrate the particles, and soft, finger-like cirri guide the meal to the vampire squid’s mouth.
Vampire squid thrive in the oxygen minimum zone, where oxygen levels are only a fraction of those near the surface. Their passive feeding strategy conserves energy, making it ideal for life in low-oxygen environments.
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This harmless deep-sea scavenger may have one of the most misleading names in the ocean.
Meet the vampire squid, Vampyrtuthis infernalis. Despite the name, the vampire squid is neither
a vampire nor a squid, but the last surviving member of an ancient group of cephalopods.
Instead of hunting down prey, Vampyrtuthis feeds on marine snow, a flurry of dead plankton,
poop, mucus, and other organic material sinking from the waters above.
Vampyrtuthis uses two long thin sticky filaments to collect bits of snow. Once their filaments
are loaded with food, they pull them through their webbed arms, then soft finger-like seri
transfer food to their mouth. Vampyr squid thrive in the oxygen minimum zone, where oxygen levels
are only a fraction of those near the surface. Their passive feeding strategy requires very
little energy, making it ideal for life in low-oxygen environments. Relatively few predators
can hunt here, but the vampire squid still has some remarkable adaptations for protection.
Their dark red color keeps Vampyrtuthis camouflaged in twilight waters, where red
light cannot reach. When threatened, vampire squid turn their cloak of webbed arms inside out,
changing their appearance to confuse predators. If danger remains, the tips of their eight arms glow
blue, another form of visual trickery. With the help of deep diving robots, Imbari scientists
are answering fundamental questions about how this living fossil feeds, moves, and survives.
Our work is revealing the complex web of connections between the surface and the deep sea.
Deep sea scavengers, like the vampire squid, help transport carbon to the abyssal sea floor,
playing an important role in maintaining ocean health and buffering our planet from climate change.
This is Marieke Pinsonot with Imbari's SCICOM team.
Follow Imbari on YouTube to learn more about the amazing animals of the deep.
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