Squid

An underwater camera at an oil and gas drilling site off the coast of Texas has captured a rare sight: a squid with "elbows." The creature was spotted last November roughly a mile and a half below the surface of the Gulf of Mexico.

This alien-like, long-armed, and--strangest of all--"elbowed" Magnapinna squid has undulating, wing like flaps that gave Magnapinna ("big fin") its name--as well as the distinctive tentacles, extended at right angles and trailing like fishing lines. Whereas giant squid and other cephalopods have eight short arms and two long tentacles, Magnapinna have ten appendages that all appear to be the same length.

First identified ten years ago, adult Magnapinna squid can range from 5 to 23 feet long ; by contrast, the largest known giant squid measured about 52 feet long.