Squids are carnivorous creatures that feed on small fish, crabs, shrimp, and other smaller squids, although they only resort to the latter possibility when food supplies are dwindling.
The smallest specimens of squid feed mainly on krill and plankton.
What are their hunting habits?
Squids are solitary animals, although sometimes they gather in small groups to hunt more easily or to increase their chances of survival if there are large numbers of predators. When a squid is able to find enough food, it grows quickly. Lack of food makes them weak and they are unable to survive harsh living conditions.
Characteristics of squid
Squids are marine mollusks that live in almost all large saltwater mases. They have a broad, conical body, protected by a thin, flat inner shell. Their heads are large, with a small mouth and a tapering beak (which they use to kill and dismember their prey), a pair of large eyes, eight arms, and two tentacles with suckers. In addition, they have a pair of gills, three hearts, and a hyponomous organ that allows them to move easily by expelling water under pressure.
Their skin is covered with chromatophores, a type of cell that allows them to change their color when they feel threatened by predators. They combine this strategy with the expulsion of an ink that they produce themselves.
How big are the squids?
The size of the squid varies depending on the species but the majority do not measure more than 60 cm, except for the giant squid which can measure up to 13 meters.
Life cycle of squid
Squids live for about a year and die after mating and reproducing, although some giant species can live for two or more years.
Relationships of squids with humans
These creatures are not usually dangerous, but some species can be very aggressive when they feel threatened. The only squids that have been reported by fishermen to be aggressive and dangerous to humans are giant squids.
