Cephalopod celebrities

Apr 2, 2018 – MBARI researcher Steve Litvin is investigating the feeding habits of juvenile market squid in changing ocean conditions. It's a tale of two krill.

Jan 31, 2018 – A recent paper describes an unusual discovery: dead squid littered across the deep sea bottom.

Mar 27, 2017 - A new paper reveals the first observations of an elusive, giant pelagic octopus with a surprising choice of prey: jellyfish!

Feb 13, 2017 - New research findings highlight a unique visual adaptation in a deep-sea squid, the cockeyed squid, which has eyes that are grossly different in size and structure.

Aug 31, 2016 - Cannibalism is not so unusual in the deep sea, especially for squid, but until recently the diet of Gonatus squid was largely unknown. Remotely operated vehicle observations of these squid in their natural habitat have enabled scientists to learn a great deal more about their feeding behavior.

Jun 22, 2016 - This week MBARI joins the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Science Friday, and other organizations in celebrating Cephalopod Week 2016.

Jun 26, 2015 - For the second year in a row, MBARI has partnered with the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Science Friday, the American Museum of Natural History, and other groups to present a wonderful array of cephalopod images and videos as part of "Cephalopod Week."

Apr 22, 2015 - Female squid, octopuses, and cuttlefish end life with a bang. Usually, these soft-bodied cephalopods die after a single, end-of-life reproductive blaze of glory. But scientists have recently learned that one deep-red, foot-long cephalopod breaks this deadly pattern.

Dec 10, 2014 – In the deep waters of the ocean, there are no places to hide. To avoid predators, many deep-sea animals have dark-colored, reflective, or transparent bodies. Others have evolved elaborate methods of deception.

Jul 30, 2014 – Researchers at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) have observed a deep-sea octopus brooding its eggs for four and one half years—longer than any other known animal.

Jun 24, 2014 – Cephalopods—squids, octopuses, and their relatives—are some of the most beautiful and intriguing animals in the ocean. During the week of June 23-27, 2014, MBARI, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and Science Friday teamed up to present a wonderful array of videos and still images of these creatures.

Jun 9, 2014 – From the vampire squid to the flapjack octopus, deep-sea cephalopods come in an amazing variety of shapes and sizes. Yet few humans have seen these animals alive. Since April, members of the public have been able to see these animals for the first time, as part of the ongoing Tentacles special exhibition at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Aug 30, 2013 – Many deep-sea animals such as anglerfish use parts of their body as lures to attract prey. Some deep-sea squids may use this strategy as well. In a recent paper, researchers associated with MBARI describe a deep-sea squid that appears to use a different method to lure prey—its tentacle tips flap and flutter as if swimming on their own.

Sept 26, 2012 – In the 100 years since marine biologists hauled the first vampire squid up from the depths of the sea, perhaps a dozen scientific papers have been published on this mysterious animal, but no one has been able to figure out exactly what it eats. A new paper by MBARI Postdoctoral Fellow Henk-Jan Hoving and Senior Scientist Bruce Robison shows for the first time that the vampire squid uses two thread-like filaments to capture bits of organic debris that sink down from the ocean surface into the deep sea.