Scientific classification of P. Sulcus
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Cephalopoda
Subclass: Coleoidea
Order: Teuthida
Family: Promachoteuthidae
Genus: Promachoteuthis
Species: P. sulcus
Common Name: No official common name
Common Name: No official common name
Surely, P. Sulcus looks like a creature that has came straight out from a bad horror movie. A human mouth, surrounded by tentacles.. Many would argue that it's the cousin of face-hugger from the alien franchise!
The truth is that this strange animal is 100% real. We still don't know much about the species, as all the little knowledge we have comes from a single, immature, female specimen that was caught sometime in 2007, in the open nets of the German research vessel "Walther Herwig". All the photos that circulated come from that individual, which was caught near the Tristan Da Cunha islands, South Atlantic Ocean, at a depth of about 2,000 meters (6,560 ft).
Species Description
It is an extremely rare, deep sea species of squid. Many are frightened by its appearance. If you are one of them I have good news for you. Don't worry!
First, it can only be found at great depths, so its highly unlikely that you will meet one in person. And even if you do, its very small and it can't harm you. The most positive estimations give it a maximum size of 5-10 cm in length. It's harmless to humans.
First, it can only be found at great depths, so its highly unlikely that you will meet one in person. And even if you do, its very small and it can't harm you. The most positive estimations give it a maximum size of 5-10 cm in length. It's harmless to humans.
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| Ventrolateral view of the 2007 specimen |
What appear to be human-like teeth is actually an illusion. In reality, the "teeth" are lips that cover its small beak. Similarly to other squid species, the beak is used to grab and crush food.
P.Sulcus has eight arms and two tentacles that are quite large compared to its body. Some other distinguishing morphological traits are the following:
- Nuchal fusion between the head and mantle
- Arm suckers large compared to club suckers
- Small eyes
- Greater width of tentacle base than arm base
- A recessed club base
- The presence of an aboral tentacle groove
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| P.Sulcus Drawing, Dorsal and Ventral View |
Due to its recent discovery, the species still doesn't have an official common name. However, some call it the "squid with teeth", "the squid with the human mouth" or something similar. I wonder, if P.Sulcus were intelligent would they call us "the mammal with the squid like mouth"?
References
- Strangeanimals.info, Promachoteuthis sulcus - The squid with the human like teeth
- Tolweb, Promachoteuthis sulcus
