Wetpixel

New research into cephalopod camouflage

Current Biology has published a research paper at Duke University showing how two species of squid can quickly switch between transparency and pigmentation to essentially become invisible. The two species studied, octopus Japetella heathi and the squid Onychoteuthis banksii, are both deep water dwellers, and it is theorized that the animals can switch between a transparent resting state and a pigmented camouflage state when light is introduced. Since many deep-sea predators have light emitting organs that they use for hunting, this pigment change would give these species an advantage in avoiding detection.