Humboldt Squid
Dosidicus gigas
Type: Invertebrate (Cephalopod)
Location: Sea of Cortez, California, USA
Diet: Carnivore
Average life span in the wild: 1 year
Weight: up to 100 pounds
Humboldt squid are so aggressive, Mexican fishermen nicknamed them 'diablos rojos,' or red devils. They are known to blast ink and shoot out of the water to escape a predator.
The Humboldt squid's eyes can grow to the size of billiard balls, enabling them to see prey in the deep dark Pacific Ocean—they live at depths of 660 to 2,300 feet.
Like most cephalopods, Humboldt squid reproduce only once in their lifetimes. They have been known to hunt in schools made up of as many as 1,200. Their diet consists mainly of fish, crustaceans, and other squid.
Named after the Humboldt current, off the coast of South America, Humboldt squid have been found as far south as Tierra del Fuego and as far north as Alaska.
