One very distinctive creature that swims in the depths and darkness of the 0cean is a squid.
Eight arms with suckers, a big elongated head, and a bilateral body symmetry are a few features of these ocean predators.
A squid is enjoyed as cuisine across a lot of Asian countries such as Japan, Korea, China, and Taiwan. This fact file is about the flying squid species which includes the Japanese flying squid and neon flying squid.
A flying squid uses a jet propulsion mechanism to travel above the water surface and covers over 98.4 ft (30 m) distance. It does so to save energy and avoid predators.
The Japanese flying squid belongs to the genus Todarodes and is scientifically known as Todarodes pacificus. This species spreads out both the fins and eight tentacles to form wings and glide through the air.
An adult squid has a mantle enclosing the visceral mass, a pair of fins that may aid them in swimming.
A squid has a muscle namely a siphon that aids in jet propulsion that helps in taking water from one side and pushing it out through the other side.
It has eight arms and two tentacles with suckers on them. Between these arms, it has a beak, and inside it has a radula or tongue. It also has ink sacs that are used as a defense mechanism against possible predators.
This squid uses gliding movement to move around 26 mph (42 kph). It can remain airborne for about three or more seconds. In this much span of time, they are able to cover around 100 ft (30 m) in just one flight.
A squid in adult age becomes a cannibal and feeds on fish, aquatic crustaceans, and other small aquatic creatures. A squid larva feeds on phytoplankton and zooplanktons until it becomes mature.
The predators for flying squids are whales such as sperm whales, baleen whales, sea birds.
Unlike bigger squids that inhabit the lower darker regions of the ocean, a flying squid is found in the upper surface of the ocean water and lives in the temperature range of 41-80 F (5-27 C). It can be found at depths of up to 1640 ft (500 m) in the oceans.
A squid’s life cycle starts with a larval stage that matures while towards East China and Japan for spawning.
A male matures earlier than the female and transfers its spermatophores on the immature female who when reaching maturing spawns around 400-4000 eggs which hatch after a span of five days.
These larvae then complete the life cycle of a squid. A squid is a cephalopod relative of an octopus, a cuttlefish, and a nautilus.
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