Incredible Flying Squid

[Ibidem_Magis]

Saw this article in New Scientist the other day, and could not believe what I was reading. Here are some of the facts. (link: http://www.newscientist.com/article/...ing-squid.html)

Humboldt Squid, among others, are able to propel themselves out of the water and actually glide for long distances above the waves. To do this, they flatten out their tentacles into a fan shape, and use these combined with the fins on their 'front' as wings. This provides them with enough lift for them to glide well over ten metres, and there have been reports of squid gliding up to 50 metres in one go.

When underwater squid tend to 'glide' in a very similar way to how they do above-water in order to get around. This means that they are well-adapted to controlling their flight through air. For example, squid have been reportedly seen using their tentacles as an air brake by flaring them downwards; rapidly halting their flight. They are also able to propel themselves in the same way, i.e. through the use of a siphon near their rectum. Here they pump out water as part of their respiratory system, which allows the squid to swim by squirting out a jet of water. This also enables them to leap out of the water to a height of up to 6 metres.

Apparently scientists have known about this behaviour for over a hundred years. They've just neglected to tell the public about it.

More links:

http://www.scientificamerican.com/ar...=can-squid-fly
http://www.nature.com/news/squid-can...energy-1.10060

[Surgeon]

I heard about that before. It's how Cthulu and the Reapers from Mass Effects evolved.

[the_mango55]

Pretty awesome, but what do they do while out of water? What's the point?

Seems like they are just making themselves vulnerable to large sea birds.

[InsaneHanz]

Pretty awesome, but what do they do while out of water? What's the point?

Seems like they are just making themselves vulnerable to large sea birds.

The albatross is one of their main predators along with sperm whales. I could see how this would be beneficial for avoiding whales but it seems like they would be more susceptible to the albatross. Albatross' are extinct in the Northern Atlantic. It would be interesting to see what the distributions of these flying squid are.

[Ibidem_Magis]

I think one theory is that flight offers a more efficient method of travel for the squid, which have to migrate large distances in order to reproduce. In the article, a group of researchers from Stanford Uni, California, found that the squid can accelerate 5x as fast out of water, and glide for large distances without using up any energy. This would be important for animals like squid which don't carry much body fat and have to travel such huge distances across the oceans.

[Morbius Sire]

That is an awesome discovery (for me, I just learned about it via this thread). I looked for some relevant videos on youtube, however there isn't much on this specific ability

I think one theory is that flight offers a more efficient method of travel for the squid, which have to migrate large distances in order to reproduce. In the article, a group of researchers from Stanford Uni, California, found that the squid can accelerate 5x as fast out of water, and glide for large distances without using up any energy. This would be important for animals like squid which don't carry much body fat and have to travel such huge distances across the oceans.

That would make sense, since air is considerably less viscous than water[1][2], so the squid would experience less friction while moving through air than water.

And if i recall correctly, Squids have a rather poor blood circulation throughout their bodies. So less friction means less energy wasted and more distance covered.

[Lord Rahl]

The albatross is one of their main predators along with sperm whales. I could see how this would be beneficial for avoiding whales but it seems like they would be more susceptible to the albatross. Albatross' are extinct in the Northern Atlantic. It would be interesting to see what the distributions of these flying squid are.

But sperm whales feed at incredible depths, not near the surface, and not on small squid.

[Alexandru]

The albatross is one of their main predators along with sperm whales. I could see how this would be beneficial for avoiding whales but it seems like they would be more susceptible to the albatross. Albatross' are extinct in the Northern Atlantic. It would be interesting to see what the distributions of these flying squid are.

So less/extinct aerial predators, safer travelling by jet jumps. I wonder how it will turn out for these squids in a couple of milenia, full adaptation to air 'ways'

[John I Tzimisces]

So less/extinct aerial predators, safer travelling by jet jumps. I wonder how it will turn out for these squids in a couple of milenia, full adaptation to air 'ways'

well, it's more likely (but I suppose we can't be 100% sure) this is only just a recent observation rather than a recent adaptation. It's possible squid have been doing this for millions of years, but the advantage against selection and in favor of reproductive success for squids that can glide longer than those that can only glide short distances may not be significant. If it were, then yeah, flying squid could come about.

[CtrlAltDe1337]

Jump down at fish? I don't know, but its pretty cool.

[Phier]

If that wasn't in nature I'd say it was shopped...

Now if it were in Science, then not so much....

[Armatus]

video?

[Denny Crane!]

All the better to eat brains with.