Swimmer Is Hypnotized By The Unusual Appearance Of A Human-Like Squid

A swimmer in Akumal, Mexico couldn't believe his eyes when a small and unusual creature appeared in front of him. The creature had big eyes, flowing, upright hair and a round body. But the surprising part was that this swimmer was looking right at what appeared to be a very human face. The mouth was moving silently as it hovered in front of the man. The face looked like that of an imaginary creature from a Dr. Seuss book. Hypnotized momentarily, the swimmer watched in disbelief at what seemed like an attempt at communication. The body was a beautiful, translucent blue with spots and there were wing like appendages on each side that moved gracefully.Show more

Within a few moments though, he saw the creature drift sideways and it became clear that this fairy-like creature was a actually a Caribbean reef squid. They are occasionally seen in the shallows, as well as deeper waters, hunting for small fish that they feed on. They are highly social and often travel and hunt in packs.

What first appeared to be this creature's hair was actually its arms raised in an upright position. Squid use posture to look bigger when they feel threatened and also in courtship rituals and as a means of communication. Capable of short bursts of impressive speed, as well as the ability to shoot ink as a means for escape, this squid could have made a sudden escape. Its behavior indicates more curiosity than anything else.

Squid are much more intelligent than once thought and their communication is far more complex than previously believed. Through a combination of posture, color, shape and even lights on their bodies, squid are able to convey complex messages to each other. They are even capable of expressing one message to a squid on their right side while they express a completely different message to a squid on their left. This would be similar to a human trying to carry on two telephone conversations at once.