Glass squids (family Cranchiidae) live in the boundless waters of the twilight, or mesopelagic, zone. With no protective shell and nowhere to shelter, they need to get creative. Transparency is one way to thrive in a home with few places to hide. Like other cephalopods, glass squids are covered in tiny pigment sacs called chromatophores. They often keep their chromatophores closed so their skin is basically see through. This invisibility cloak hides them from both predators and prey. When the gl

We posted an image of this glass squid (Cranchia scabra) and due to requests for the video, here is some more footage of the encounter. There are several visible aspects worth pointing out: We get some great views of its chromatophores, specialized structures on their skin which contain pigment, allowing them to change color rapidly, providing camouflage from predators and potential prey. Some researchers believe the chromatophores can also be used for identification purposes and communication b

My new favourite animal 😍 Cranchiid squid, pfeffer also known as piglet squid.The piglet squid (Helicocranchia pfefferi) grows to about 8 or 10 cm long. It can live at depths of just 1 metre to more than a kilometre below the surface – an unusually wide range for such a delicate creature. Piglet squids belong to the family Cranchiidae, which comprises roughly 60 species of glass squid, named for their transparent bodies. Glass squid have been known to display an unusual habit of swimming upside