A titmouse is a bird. Not a tit, or a mouse. A silverfish is a pale grey insect. A congo snake is not found in the Congo, nor is it a snake. Animals such as this generally suck, however the Vampire Squid is a definite exception to this rule. Its Latin name, Vampyroteuthis infernalis, literally translates to “vampire squid from hell” and although it is neither a vampire, nor is it technically a squid it is a total badass. This black or pale red cephalopod lives 900 metres below the surface of the ocean. Here, oxygen saturation is as low as 3 per cent, meaning very few animals, and in fact no other cephalopods can survive in this environment.
The “from hell” section of their name is fairly becoming, especially when we look at Vampire Squid sex. This act consists of the male penetrating the female’s forehead and depositing his sperm underneath her eyes!
The eight arms of this deep sea beast are lined by fleshy spines called cirri which are used to help consume prey. When startled, the Vampire Squid turns itself inside out by folding its legs back over its head, exposing the cirri. This is known as the “pineapple position” and when combined with a dazzling display of bioluminescence, this is enough to deter any predator. To top all this off, out of any animal the Vampire Squid has the largest eyes proportional to its body size, which may turn blood red! Terrifying