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Decoding the secret language of squid. 🦑💭⁠ ⁠ Humboldt squid (Dosidicus gigas) are formidable predators, whose group foraging often resembles a feeding frenzy. Despite this free-for-all appearance, foraging Humboldt squid generally avoid direct contact or physical competition for prey. New research by MBARI suggests that, as they hunt, these squid communicate with each other using changing patterns of light and dark pigment on their skin. The changes are visible even in the darkest depths of the ocean because the squids’ entire bodies glow in the dark, so the pigment patterns are backlit like words on the screen of a handheld electronic device.⁠ ⁠ The squid exhibit changing color patterns most often when they are interacting with one another in groups. This suggests that their pigmentation changes may be an effective means of communication, analogous to humans using turn signals in traffic. Though the meaning of the signals remains unknown, this research suggests that Humboldt squids use changes in body patterns as a consistent and effective means of communication in the deep. Head to the link in our bio to watch the full video and see how many color patterns you can spot!

Need some extra reading materials these days? 📚🤓 ⁠ ⁠ MBARI's Deep-Sea Guide provides easy access to the institute’s database with millions of records of deep-sea animals, seafloor habitats, geological features, and research tools. It allows users everywhere to dip their toes into MBARI’s research data and see for themselves the astonishing diversity of animals and geologic features in the deep sea. This sea star, Asthenactis fisheri, was observed nearly 1,500 meters (4,921 feet) deep on a seamount off the coast of central California. Go to our website and search the Deep-Sea Guide for this or other deep-sea animals! ⠀ . #DeepSeaGuide

Giant larvacean or terrifying krill death trap?⁠ ⁠ It's actually both! Larvaceans live far below the ocean surface, capturing food in sticky mucous filters that can be over a meter (three feet) across. These filters (called "houses" because the larvaceans live inside them) trap tiny particles of drifting debris, which are then eaten by the larvacean. Despite being filter feeders and not predators, larvaceans in the genus Bathochordaeus can pose a threat to small vertical migrators such as krill. Relatively small migrating animals, such as krill, sometimes collide with these houses and become entangled in them. ⁠ ⁠ MBARI researchers have created a computer model that estimates how many times a prey animal might encounter a predator during its daily migration to the ocean's surface. They used this model to calculate "threat potentials"—percentages indicating the likelihood that a krill or lantern fish would encounter a particular type of predator during each vertical migration. Learn more about their research on our web page (link in bio).

Scoop and pivot, and scoop and pivot. ⁠ ⁠ MBARI’s two ROVs—Ventana and Doc Ricketts—are equipped with manipulator arms for grabbing, moving, or placing items in the sea. They were built to be adjustable so that tools could be easily swapped to fit the goals of each mission. In this case, researchers and engineers devised an alternative to the standard scoop used to collect animals like this Luidia sea star. It was initially designed to collect flapjack octopuses because, without the netting, the animals were just being bumped up instead of staying put in the collector.

When you get caught trying to eat the entire cake before anyone else can get to it. 🍰 #haveyourcakeandeatittoo⁠ ⁠ This Gonatus onyx squid was captured on camera eating a lanternfish. Lanternfish, krill, and other prey species migrate towards the surface of the ocean on a daily basis to search for food. Deep-sea predators have evolved various strategies for hunting these migrators. Some active hunters may chase the migrators up toward the surface while others remain in the depths and wait for their prey to return at dawn.⁠ ⁠ In a recent study, MBAR researchers developed a new method for estimating the chances that two types of prey—krill and lanternfish—will encounter predators while migrating. Lanternfish (myctophids) are actively hunted by several species of aggressive predatory squids. The squids Gonatus onyx and Gonatus berryi do not migrate vertically but chase and attack migrating lanternfish.

Bone-eating worms? Yes, they are very much a thing. ⁠😱⁠ Happy Worm Wednesday! 🐛 ⁠⠀ These Osedax worms (the red feathery organisms) are attached to and feeding off a whale carcass. Although they lack a mouth and gut, these unusual worms make a living on dead whales by producing a “root system” that digests the surrounding bone and releases collagen and lipids to consume. MBARI researchers have discovered and described 25 new species of Osedax worms in Monterey Bay over the last 30 years. ⁠#WormWednesday⁠⠀