December 20, 2005
1 min read
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are not known for their parenting skills. As far as scientists knew, all squid species simply deposited the eggs on the sea floor and left them to develop on their own.
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are not known for their parenting skills. As far as scientists knew, all squid species simply deposited the eggs on the sea floor and left them to develop on their own. Now they have found an exception to this rule. Representatives of the species Gonatus onyx, a deep-sea squid, have been spotted toting egg masses containing 2,000 to 3,000 eggs. (In the image above, the egg mass appears in grey.) They apparently carry them for several months until the mature eggs break away and hatch. The parents also repeatedly extend their arms, flushing water through the eggs--an act that is believed to aerate them. This brooding comes at a price, however: the egg pouch hinders the caretaker's mobility as the embryos mature, making the parent an easy target for whales, elephant seals and other predators.
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