MBARI
The strawberry squid when regular light is shined on it.
Researchers at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute discovered that under a bright blue light, the normally bright-red and strawberry-looking squid glows an eerie blue. Especially its unique, single giant eye.
This glowing - called bioluminescence - may help animals hide from or distract predators, attract prey, and help make prey easier to spot. This eye catching strawberry squid uses fluorescence to blend in and also to detect prey, according to the video.
The squid, and many other deep sea creatures, use their bioluminescence to light up the underside of their body with a dim glow - a strategy called counter illumination - to disguise themselves from predators below.
Normally a predator would look up and see the dark shadow of the squid blocking the light from the surface. But the glow illuminates the animal to match the light coming from above, effectively rendering it invisible.
Chiswick Chap
By glowing on their underside squids conceal their silhouettes from predators below.
That's not the only interesting thing about this squid, though. The eye on the squid's right side is small and the left eye is enormous. Check it out:
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The strawberry squid has a small right eye and an enormous left eye.
Here's another shot of the giant eye and glowing skin:
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The one enormous eye of the strawberry squid brightly glows under blue light.
If a fish swimming above the squid glows more green than its surroundings, then the squid can spot it easier after its eye filters out the blue light.
Check it out:
MBARI
When the squid's eyes filter out blue light some prey become easier to spot.