Vampire squid from hell eats faeces to survive inky depths

摘要

While most vampires prefer their prey alive, vampire squid are rather less demanding. They munch on any dead plankton, crustacean remains and faecal matter that happens to pass by, making them the only cephalopod not to hunt living prey.Vampyroteuthis infernalis - literally the "vampire squid from hell" - has a pair of thin, retractable filaments. It uses them like a fishing line, letting them drift and collect bits of waste. Wiping the filaments across its arms, the squid combines the waste with mucus secreted from its suckers to form balls of food, which it gobbles up.