Almost Invisible: Transparent Animals of the Deep Sea
In open ocean water, there are few rocks to hide behind and no trees to disappear into. From glass squids to delicate drifting worms, these animals reveal how transparency, selective color and fragile body structures help life take shape in the ocean’s midwater.
Glass Squid | Family Cranchiidae
A transparent body helps a glass squid avoid making a conspicuous silhouette in open water. These squid can keep their pigment-bearing chromatophores closed, leaving much of the body see-through, while light organs help conceal opaque parts such as the eyes. Transparency is only one layer of their defenses: they can also darken their appearance or release ink when threatened. The individual pictured is a cockatoo squid, Galiteuthis phyllura, a member of this diverse family rather than a representative of every glass squid’s shape.
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