General: A thin web of tissue connects eight arms. Two retracile filaments extend from the mantle. Distinctive large, bright blue eyes. A pair of fins on the lateral side of the mantle aid in locomotion. Possesses two large photophores below the fins with a number of smaller light organs in the skin. The tips of all eight arms are also capable of bioluminescence. May invert the webbing between its arms and expose thin, fleshy cirri when disturbed, giving a characteristic pineapple-like appearance. Dark red in color with variations ranging from amber to dark orange to brown.
Size: To 30 cm total length and 13 cm mantle length.
Reproduction: Iteroparous, with multiple reproductive cycles. Spawning occurs in deep water. Hatchlings possess pair of fins, which are absorbed during larval development and replaced by a more anterior pair of fins. Juveniles may thus have two pairs of fins depending on developmental stage.
Geographic Information
Published depth range: 600-1100 m
Ocean range (global): California, Hawaii, Atlantic. Worldwide in tropical and temperate waters.
Additional Information
Color: Dark red. Amber, orange, or brown variations have been observed.
Herring, P.J., P.N. Dilly, and C. Cope (1994). The bioluminescent organs of the deep-sea cephalopod Vampyroteuthis infernalis (Cephalopoda: Vampyromorpha). Journal of Zoology, 233(1): 45-55. https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1469-7998.1994.tb05261.x
Herring, P.J., P.N. Dilly, and C. Cope (1994). The bioluminescent organs of the deep-sea cephalopod Vampyroteuthis infernalis (Cephalopoda: Vampyromorpha). Journal of Zoology, 233(1): 45-55. https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1469-7998.1994.tb05261.x
Hoving, H.J.T. and B.H. Robison (2012). Vampire squid: Detritivores in the oxygen minimum zone. Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 279: 4559-4567. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2012.1357
Hoving, H.J.T., V.V. Laptikhovsky, and B.H. Robison (2015). Vampire squid reproductive strategy is unique among coleoid cephalopods. Current Biology, 25(8): R322-R323. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2015.02.018
Norman, M.D. and J.K. Finn (2014). "Family Bolitanidae" in P. Jereb, C.F.E. Roper, M.D. Norman, and J.K. Finn (eds.). Cephalopods of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of cephalopod species known to date. Volume 3. Octopods and Vampire Squids. FAO Species Catalogue for Fishery Purposes. Rome: FAO.
Robison, B.H., K.R. Reisenbichler, J.C. Hunt, and S.H.D. Haddock (2003). Light production by the arm tips of the deep-sea cephalopod Vampyroteuthis infernalis. Biological Bulletin, 205: 102-109. https://doi.org/10.2307/1543231
Young, R.E. (2008). "Vampyromorpha Robson, 1929. Vampyroteuthis infernalis Chun, 1903. The Vampire Squid." The Tree of Life Web Project. Last modified 5/30/08. http://tolweb.org/tolarchive/20084/20080530/Vampyroteuthis_infernalis.html.
Citation:Vampyroteuthis infernalis (Chun, 1903 ) Deep-Sea Guide (DSG) at http://dsg/mbari.org/dsg/view/concept/Vampyroteuthis%20infernalis. Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI). Consulted on 2024-04-24.
Vampyroteuthis infernalis in pineapple posture