You must have heard of water monsters in the pages of fiction. But the fact is that they do really exist deep in the sea. They are actually water animals that look like a monster. One such water animal is the Vampire Squid, known to scientists as Vampyroteuthis infernalis. The squid has large fins at the top of its body that resemble large ears. It is very gelatinous in form. It has the largest eyes relative to its body size. Though it is relatively small, growing to a length of only about six inches, it has globular eyeballs as large as the eyes of a large dog. The vampire squid’s body is covered with light-producing organs called photophores that gives the squid the exceptional capability to “turn itself on or off” at will. These squid live as deep as 3000 feet. The squid’s arms are covered with sharp tooth-like spikes. This is what gives the animal its unique name. One pair of arms has been modified into retractile filaments that can extend to twice the body length of the animal and it uses these arms to capture its prey. When in danger, the squid can draw its arms up over itself and form a defensive web that covers its body. The vampire squid can swim extremely fast and can reach a speed of 2 body lengths per second and can accelerate to this speed in only 5 seconds. The vampire squid is found throughout the world in most tropical and temperate regions.
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