Squid

Introduction: Squid are marine cephalopods of the order Teuthida, which comprises around 300 species. Like all other cephalopods, squid have a distinct head, bilateral symmetry, a mantle and arms. As with cuttlefish, they have eight arms arranged in pairs and two longer tentacles. Many species of squid are popular as food and in English-speaking countries, squid is often marketed using the Italian word calamari.

Distribution: Squid are found abundantly in certain areas off the coast of Namibia.

Colouring: The skin is covered in chromatophores, which enables the squid to change colour to suit its surroundings, making it effectively invisible. The underside is almost always lighter than the topside, providingj camouflage from both prey and predator.

Size: The majority are no more than 60cm long, although the giant squid may reach 13m. In February 2007, a New Zealand fishing vessel caught a Colossal Squid weighing 495kg and measuring around 10m off the coast of Antarctica.