Biology of a Squid Essay - 577 Words

Biology of a Squid Squids are among the most varied and unique of all invertebrates. They are mollusks of the Class Cephalopod, along with the nautilus, cuttlefish, and octopus. Squids are highly evolved, and have developed a number of traits uncommon to most other mollusks. Fossil records of cephalopods have dated back the Cambrian Period (about 600 million years ago). Structurally, squids have only small variations of a basic theme common to all cephalopods. They are spherical or cigar-shaped with two fins used to stabilize movement when swimming. Ten arms are easily distinguished emerging from near the mouth Eight of these arms each have four rows of suction cups encircled by rings of chitinous (horny) hooks. These suction†¦show more content†¦Squids (and cephalopods in general) possess several unusual abilities that help them deal with their predators (which range anything from large fish to sperm whales). Their lack of an external shell allows them to squeeze into very tight places, enabling them to conveniently and easily hide from their enemies. When confronted with a dangerous animal away from hiding places, however, squids seem to have a disadvantage when compared to other mollusks with external shells. If attacked, they have no exterior protection. To counter this potential crisis, they have adapted a number of tactics. First, they are capable of temporarily altering the color of their skin, in effect camouflaging themselves. They can shift their appearance from a deep brown color, to a white, or almost transparent quality. Along with this, they are able to slightly change the texture of their skin. This form of camouflage allows the squid to take the form of rocks, seaweed, or other ocean-dwelling objects. If a hazardous foe is not fooled by camouflage, the squid can release an ink cloud. The ink cloud has a number of helpful characteristics that can ward off enemies. The cloud initially causes the nearby water to become dark and cloudy, reducing the enemys visibility and allowing the squid to escape from danger. Some deep-sea squids contain bacteria in their ink so that the cloud glows, and scares away harmful rivals.Show MoreRelatedThe Research Methods Of Internet Articles1554 Words   |  7 PagesInternet was a place where the majority of them gathered. This method of research contributed to most of the references in the final outcome. The second research method was the email interview with a marine biology professor. The research question is in the area of marine biology, and a marine biology professor would be best suited for an interview on this question. This method was chosen because it is a great primary source. 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