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Cockatoo Squid or Glass Squid (Cranchia scabra)
A "Cockatoo Squid" or "Glass Squid" (Cranchia scabra) inhabits mesopelagic tropical waters. When threatened, it can pull its head and tentacles into its mantle and turn into a ball. It has small knob-like cartilagenous tubercles all over its body. Fourteen oval photophores exist around each eye which produce a greenish light (bioluminescence). This individual was captured in a trawl between 200 meters depth and the surface in the Sea of Japan, 2007.
''Cranchia scabra'' is a species of glass squid. It is the only species in the genus, and is fairly small . The mantle is covered by large, multi-pointed cartilagenous tubercles. When disturbed, the squid often pulls its head and arms into the mantle cavity and folds its fins tightly against the mantle to form a turgid ball. The tubercules, presumably, provide some type of protection, but it is unclear what predators are affected and how. In addition, the squid may ink into the mantle cavity, making.. more
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