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The vampire squid is an extreme example of a deep sea cephalopod, thought to reside at aphotic (lightless) depths from 600 to 900 metres (2,000 to 3,000 ft) or more. Within this region of the world's oceans is a discrete habitat known as the oxygen minimum zone (OMZ).
Learn about the vampire squid, a small, dark-colored cephalopod that lives at extreme depths in the ocean. Find out how it feeds, reproduces, defends itself, and why it is called a vampire squid.
Vampire squids live deep in the ocean, and while they don’t suck blood, their red eyes, black coloration, and the cloak-like webbing between their arms certainly gives them a very “vampire-y” appearance. Learn more.
The vampire squid (Vampyroteuthis infernalis, lit. 'vampire squid from hell') is a small cephalopod found throughout temperate and tropical oceans in extreme deep sea conditions. The vampire squid uses its bioluminescent organs and its unique oxygen metabolism to thrive in the parts of the ocean with the lowest concentrations of oxygen.
Learn about the vampire squid, a deep-sea cephalopod with huge eyes and bioluminescent mucus, and the vampire fish, a freshwater predator with fangs. Find out how they got their names and what they look like.
Vampire squid are detritivores, they are the only known living cephalopod that does not catch and eat live animals for food. They eat “marine snow”, detritus that consists of bits of dead planktonic creatures and fecal pellets.
What is a vampire squid? Despite its name – inspired by its dark colour and the cloak-like webbing between its arms – the vampire squid is neither vampire nor squid. It is the sole member of its own cephalopod order.
