The Humboldt squid is a marine animal that has garnered a lot of attention from researchers in recent years. This animal is also called jumbo flying squid, giant squid, and Diablo rojo, which means red devil in Spanish. Its scientific name is Dosidicus gigas.
These squids are large and often inhabit the waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean. To date, approximately 300 different species of squid have been identified. Marine biologists believe that several more are still in unidentified deep water. The shy humboldt squid is the most common squid talked about due to its special behavioral characteristics.
It belongs to the cephalopod family, in particular the ommastrephidae. Often due to his aggressive nature, people also refer to him as the Silent Monster. Their name is associated with the Humboldt Current in the Pacific Ocean where they reside. They have the ability to change the color of their skin to red when they are excited or angry. They splash a black ink when attacked.
They have a symmetrical body along their horizontal axis. These are about 6 to 7 feet long and weigh 100 pounds. Its shelf life is only one year. Their heavy weight makes them a difficult catch. Their physical characteristics include a head, cloak, two diamond-shaped flippers used for swimming, four pairs of arms, two tentacles near the mouth, and a baseball-sized beak that is used to consume prey.
Recent studies have found that they inhabit not only the Humboldt currents in the Pacific, but also the waters of Alaska. This expansion of their habitat is associated with global warming and rising water temperatures. They live in the depths at nearly 660 to 2,300 feet from the surface and come only to hunt, especially at night. They hunt small fish, cephalopods, crustaceans, and copepods. They attack larger marine animals like sharks if they feel threatened. They are preyed upon by other predators such as sperm whales, sharks, and swordfish. When attacked, they jump out of the water to cover distances faster and escape their predators.
They live in groups called shoals, which are made up of almost 1,200 squid. During times when there is a shortage of food, they even hunt smaller members of their own species. Although insufficient evidence is available, these cephalopods are believed to lay their eggs, bury them in the sand, and reproduce once in their lives.
They are hunted for their meat that is consumed in Mexico, Italy, Europe and Asia.