Fun fact #13

Today's animal of the day is The Vampire Squid. Though they are called Vampire Squid, they are neither a squid or octopus. So, they a placed in their own order, Vampyroteuthis. A webbing of skin connects its eight arms, each lined with rows of fleshy spines. The inner side of this "cloak" is black.

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(oral view) (dorsal view)

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Name: Vampire Squid (Vampyroteuthis infernalis)

Conservation status: Unknown.

Lifespan: 8 years.

What they eat: They eat shrimp-like animals and microscopic algae.

Where they live: They are found throughout temperate and tropical oceans in extreme deep sea conditions.

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More Fun Facts: - The scientific name, Vampyroteuthis infernalis, translates to 'Vampire Squid from Hell'.

- The organism as a unique oxygen metabolism, which allows them to thrive in places containing less concentration of oxygen.

- The organism gets its name by it appearance, not by what it eats. They have black cloak-like webbing and spikes. But it feeds on detritus (dead particulate organic material).

- They are bioluminescent.

More on detritus (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detritus)

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Stay tuned for more Into the Wild. Love and Protect Wildlife. -Kara