An Up Close View of a Gorgeous Translucent Cockatoo Squid Swimming Deep in the Salish Sea

While exploring the waters of Juan de Fuca Canyon off the coast of Salish Sea in the North Pacific Ocean, the E/V Nautilus captured an amazing up-close view of a gorgeous cockatoo squid, known for its plume of tentacles above its head. This squid is also known as a glass squid due to its amazing transparency.

Taonius borealis is a deep sea cephalopod commonly found North Pacific Ocean, seen to a max length of 50cm (20in). Its transparent body clearly reveals a cigar-shaped digestive gland, though color-changing chromatophores flash reddish hues to help the squid blend in. Carrying tentacles above its head, the squid generally looks straight ahead, but can also direct its eyes laterally, giving its cockatoo-like appearance an extra googly-eyed flair.