A research team from the University of Western Australia captured footage of Dana the octopus while deploying baited cameras in the Pacific Ocean. In the material released today entitled the squid treated the camera as prey and flashed bioluminescent reflectors before going in for the kill. If you think blinding from a set of high beam lights on the road is terrifying, imagine being over a mile deep in pitch black water and the Dana squid blinds you and then eats you.
A scarce deep sea squid caught on camera
Dana squid are massive, growing to weigh up to 350 pounds and seven feet long. The curved squid also represented the natural world the largest known photophores at the end of the two arms. It uses its organs to produce bioluminescent flashes that disorient and frighten its prey. Associate Professor Heather Stewart he said:
“The squid, which was about 75 cm long, approached our camera, thinking it was prey, and tried to scare it with its huge bioluminescent reflectors. He then took hold of one of the other cameras, which in turn captured the encounter in even greater detail. I think we were very lucky to be able to witness it.”
The research team deployed cameras at depths of more than 3 miles. The squid chased the camera less than half a mile from the surface as it descended at about 2 miles per hour. Professor Alan Jamieson, Director of the Minderoo-UWA Deep Sea Research Centre, he said:
“Many records of this species come from strandings, accidental bycatch or the contents of whale stomachs. The rarity of live sightings of these amazing animals makes each encounter valuable in gathering information on geography, depth and behavior, plus it’s such a unique animal that we almost don’t see it at all, so we had to share it “.
Yes, the world needs to know that marine life also deals with the horror of high beams piercing the darkness and life ending.
