SQUIDS

-Squid have gills just like fish.  They are often mistaken for octopus. While they two are similar they are different types of creatures.

-Every squid features three hearts. They also move through the water tail first instead of head first.

-The ink sac can be triggered to release this black substance very rapidly.

-The squid is definitely a common source of food for many other creatures living in the water. What is interesting is that other animals are able to digest all of a squid except the pointed beak of its mouth. These remains are often found inside of the stomachs of other animals.

-Some squid can weigh more than 1,000 pounds

-Many species of squid have a life span that is only about one year.

-Some species of squid are able to glow in the dark. Research shows this is due to them having bioluminescent organs.

-Squid are believed to be the fastest of all invertebrates in the world.

-Even though 300 species of squid have been identified and classified, it is believed there are at least 200 more that still need to be evaluated.

-Some species of squid have been found to live more than 13,000 feet deep in the water.

-A squid is able to swim by sucking water into the mantle cavity. Then they remove it through the siphon. This process continues all day long, even when they are sleeping.

-Most of the time squid are loners in the waters. However, there have been small groups of them identified. This can be due to many young being born in one location. When food sources are scarce or predators are a huge danger though they seem to group together in order to hunt easier and to stay alive.

There are more than 300 known species of squid out there that have been identified. They fall into one of two categories - myopsida and oegopsida.

Giant Squid
Giant Squids are very large in size with the females being approximately 10 feet longer than the males. The average length of a female is 43 feet. The overall design of it is the same as other types of squid.
Colossal Squid
The eyes of the Colossal squid are larger than that of any other creature on Earth. It is also known as the largest species of squid in the world. It can be up to 35 feet in length and weigh as much as 1,000 pounds.
Humboldt Squid
Also referred to as the jumbo squid, the Humboldt squid is one you do want to recognize. They aren't as long as you would think with a name like that though. They only get to be about 7 feet long and weigh up to 100 pounds.
Japanese Flying Squid
The Japanese Flying Squid isn't as well known as many others out there. They also have features that are distinct to this particular species. You will notice rings around the back of the head.
Vampire Squid
The name of this particular squid is very different, as is the overall appearance of it. The black color is distinct enough in itself. The fact that the long arms flow like a black cape remind many people of a vampire wearing one.

We often hear about all of the different creatures out there negatively affected by climate change and global warming. However, there are actually some including the squid which seem to benefit from it. There has been a great deal of research relating to their survival as the warmer temperatures are introduced. Global warming has been a problem for a long time and so identifying how it affects particular creatures is important.

For example their bodies are able to process food easier when the water is warmer. As a result the squid will grow to be larger than otherwise. This is going to be significant in their ability to survive overall out there against predators. The smaller a squid is the more likely it will be consumed. This can lead to more squid due to them becoming mature and having offspring before they become food for something else.

Climate change though can also result in squid becoming more of a food source for other animals than in the past. See, their natural habitat may be destroyed so they are out there trying to survive where they can. At the same time they may been seeking food and needing to consume what they can. Squid may be what they find due to how well the adapt to these changing temperatures. They may stay in these new locations where there are plenty of squid for them to continually feed on.

Others though believe that squid populations will continue to increase due to climate change. They also worry though that there will be too many of them to be able to survive on the amount of food that is readily available for them. This can lead to large numbers of them dying off due to starvation. It can also reduce the value of the genetic pool because those that do survive many not get adequate nutrition. As a result the survival of these different squid species as a whole may be reduced.

However, there is research to indicate that the climate change can affect reproduction rates. The squid will spawn in given locations at certain times of the year. Climate change may affect their ability to do so because their natural instincts become confused by what it taking place. Therefore they may end up not taking part in it. Since a single female can lay thousands of eggs at a time this is going to be a concern.

If the water is too warm it can cause the females to take part in offshore mating instead of the spawning process where she can attract the male with the best genetics. If the water is too cold they may not engage in the behavior at all though. This is because their bodies may not deem it as time to do so.

There is still a great deal of research that has to be done though in order to accurately determine how climate change is going to effect squid populations. What we do know is that it does adversely affect many other animals in the water. Therefore efforts to be able to eliminate global warming and climate change continue to be a top concern of various environmental groups.