Vampire Squid, Vampyroteuthis Infernalis -"Vampire Squid From Hell"
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The vampire squid, Vampyroteuthis infernalis (Chun, 1903), which translates to "vampire squid from Hell", is the only known member of the Order Vampyromorphida, the seventh order in the Class Cephalopoda and combines features from both octopodiformes and decapodiformes suggesting it may represent an ancestral line between the two groups (Robison et al., 2003). The vampire squid, which is not technically a true squid, is named for its blue eyes, reddish-brown skin and webbing between the arms. It is a small "squid" reaching a maximum length of 28 cm (with mantle lengths typically 7.9-12.1 cm (Robison et al., 2003)). Like true squids, there is sexual dimorphism in size: females are larger than males. Vampyroteuthis infernalis has eight long arms and two filaments that extend well past the total length of the body and can retract into pockets found in the webbing between the arms. They were at first thought to be arms, however they are different in structure and composition, therefore they are believed to be a uniquely derived trait of this species. Suckers are found on the distal half of the arms. There are two fins on the dorsal surface of the mantle. An interesting phenomenon in this squid is the metamorphosis of the size, shape, and position of the fins as the squid grows. When the mantle is 15-25 mm in length, a second pair of fins begins to develop in front of the first pair. When the new pair reaches maturity, the original pair is reabsorbed. The new fins change the vampire squid's swimming style from jet propulsion to fin propulsion.
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