Deep-sea squid mom carries dazzling pearl-like string of eggs

Extremely rare footage of a squid mom carrying a gelatinous string of glimmering pearl-like eggs in her arms has been captured in the dark ocean depths off the coast of California. 

Researchers from Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) recently spotted the deep-sea squid (an unknown species in the genus Bathyteuthis.) around 56 miles (90 kilometers) off the coast at a depth of 4,560 feet (1,390 meters), a depth roughly three times the height of the Empire State Building. The team used a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to capture high-definition footage of the squid and her still-developing offspring, allowing researchers to “examine the pelagic [open-water] parent in astounding detail,” MBARI representatives wrote in a description of the video (opens in new tab), which they shared July 6 on the MBARI YouTube channel.

It is extremely unusual for female squids to be seen carrying their eggs along with them; such behavior is known as brooding. “Most squids reproduce by depositing egg cases on the seafloor or releasing eggs in a gelatinous mass that drifts in open water,” and then abandon their unhatched larva to fend for themselves, researchers wrote in a statement (opens in new tab)

Sometimes “these nurturing mothers will carry the eggs until they hatch to improve their babies’ chances for survival,” the researchers wrote. But carrying eggs is also likely to be energetically expensive for the mom and increases her risk of being predated, which is why it is uncommon to see this behavior in action. 

Related: Weird-eyed strawberry squid spotted in ‘twilight zone’ off California’s coast 

A close-up of the squid mom holding onto her eggs.

A close-up of the squid mom holding onto her eggs. (Image credit: MBARI)

(opens in new tab)

This is only the second time MBARI researchers have observed this brooding behavior in Bathyteuthis squid, after first glimpsing it in 2005. Only two other species of brooding squid, both from the deep sea, have ever been spotted carrying their eggs in this way. However, the researchers suspect that “other deep-dwelling squids may also turn out to be brooders,” according to the statement. 

The overprotective mom in the video appears deceptively large alongside her tiny eggs, but in reality, her mantle — the main part of a squid’s body containing all the major organs — can only grow to a maximum length of 3 inches (7.5 centimeters), according to MBARI.

Researchers say that videos like this one show the importance of continuing to explore deeper waters. “The deep ocean is challenging to study and we only get brief glimpses into the behaviors of deep-sea animals,” the researchers wrote. “Each observation logged by our ROVs provides another piece of the puzzle and helps improve our understanding of life in the deep.”

Originally published on Live Science.

Harry Baker

Harry is a U.K.-based staff writer at Live Science. He studied Marine Biology at the University of Exeter (Penryn campus) and after graduating started his own blog site “Marine Madness,” which he continues to run with other ocean enthusiasts. He is also interested in evolution, climate change, robots, space exploration, environmental conservation and anything that’s been fossilized. When not at work he can be found watching sci-fi films, playing old Pokemon games or running (probably slower than he’d like). 

Note: This article have been indexed to our site. We do not claim legitimacy, ownership or copyright of any of the content above. To see the article at original source Click Here

Related Posts
Less routine study paths that are worth getting to know thumbnail

Less routine study paths that are worth getting to know

חינוך בלתי פורמאלי. צילום: אנדי ברבור, PEXELS משפטים, תקשורת, מדעי המדינה, פסיכולוגיה, מהווים כולם כמסלולי לימוד אקדמיים מוכרים ומדוברים.אבל אם אתם נמצאים בשלב המקדים לקבלת ההחלטה לגבי מסלול לימודים בו אתם מעוניינים להשתלב, מומלץ שתכירו גם את המסלולים הפחות מדוברים – שאינם בהכרח פחות מעניינים.חשוב לזכור, כי בחירת המסלול מהווה כצעד אשר ישפיע במידה רבה…
Read More
Publisher Correction: T<sub>reg</sub> engineers take aim at autoimmunity thumbnail

Publisher Correction: Treg engineers take aim at autoimmunity

This News article has been updated to reflect that AstraZeneca is pursuing a Treg cell therapy research program, not CAR-Treg, and that the company’s validation experiments following a genome-wide screen looking for additional factors that can help ensure a consistent Treg phenotype are at the planning stage, not ongoing, as the article states.The online version…
Read More
What is the Best Quality CBD Oil? thumbnail

What is the Best Quality CBD Oil?

This article contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.Creating a pure CBD extract can be a monumental challenge for even the most adept and experienced companies. There are thousands of variables that go into producing the highest quality CBD imaginable, from sourcing the right variety of…
Read More
Mysterious signals from 'hell planet' 40 light-years from Earth could finally be solved by James Webb Space Telescope thumbnail

Mysterious signals from ‘hell planet’ 40 light-years from Earth could finally be solved by James Webb Space Telescope

This illustration shows one possible scenario for the hot, rocky exoplanet called 55 Cancri e, which is nearly two times as wide as Earth. New data from NASA Spitzer Space Telescope show that the planet has extreme temperature swings. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech) The first super-Earth astronomers ever discovered has given off strange signals for nearly
Read More
Index Of News
Total
0
Share