Animal Spotlight - Bobtail Squid

Have you ever heard of the incredible bobtail squid? When you hear the word squid, a very large pinkish animal might come to mind, not the lovely gem-like bobtail squid! At only 3 cm long, this beautiful gem of the sea is as fascinating as it is beautiful. It is, quite literally, the star of the sea, and here’s why.. This Pacific squid, native to Hawaii, has an interesting relationship with some special bacteria. No, they are not in love (I hear your chuckles over there), they have what is known as a symbiotic relationship, where both organisms benefit in some way. From a young age, the squid collects a certain bacterium that it collects in a special organ. It gets cleaned and the bacteria gets food. (See how both organisms benefit?), but that’s not even the best part! The squid keeps the bacteria in a special organ, and the bacteria glows. These squid are nocturnal, so from the below the sea, at night, predators and prey of the squid will just see this:

A starry sky, is that not brilliant? It is just another small glowing object, just like a star! So using this bacteria, the squid stays clean and manages to cleverly evade capture at the same time. Brilliant!